Ice Lobos find success on Senior Night, eyes on playoffs in California

RIO RANCHO — After dropping the weekend opener, the Lobos made sure to make senior night a successful one.

University of New Mexico’s men’s club hockey team split its two-game set with the University of Wyoming, taking the Saturday finale at McDermott Athletic Center to move to 18-6 on the year.

Saturday’s 5-1 victory was Senior Night for the team, handling business in their last regular-season game and weekend at the MAC for the year, ahead of the conference playoffs.

The hero of the night? Senior goalie Max McKiernan. Playing his final game as a Lobo at home, McKiernan recorded 40 saves on 41 shots with a season-high .976 save percentage to post his 12th victory of the season.

McKiernan’s 40 saves also marked a season high, now sporting seven games of allowing two goals or fewer on the year.

But on offense, it was the newer faces making an impact. Freshman Joseph Gutierrez hung two goals on the Cowboys along with an assist, while first-year Lobo Issa Murakami netted one goal with two assists in the 5-1 runaway win.

Five seniors were honored at the MAC for the Lobos. McKiernan, Conner Cook, Nick Weaver, Zach Ganshaw and Dane Whittet were all recognized for their contributions to the club and team over the years.

On top of the festivities, the Lobos wore limited edition Special Olympics teal jerseys in both contests, later to be auctioned off in support of Special Olympics New Mexico.

It was a picturesque swan song for the Lobos' season run at the MAC, but for the team itself, they aren’t looking to be finished quite yet.

UNM will now head back to California for the WCHC playoffs, set for Feb. 6-8.

The Lobos, securing the top seed in the conference last weekend in Flagstaff, will bypass Friday's action and await their to-be-determined opponent for Saturday evening, in a field of Loyola Marymount, Arizona State, Northern Arizona, Grand Canyon, Cal State Northridge and UCLA.

If last weekend’s momentum isn’t enough to carry the Ice Lobos to a championship run, their latest supporter may add some fuel to the fire.

“Big win for you guys over Wyoming this weekend,” Lobos football head coach Jason Eck said in a video online. “I was fired up to see you win on Senior Night; best of luck in the playoffs.”

The Eck-backed Lobos will be back in action on Feb. 7-8, at THE CUBE in Valencia, California.