2/3 - Seth Serhienko Named Cyclone Hockey Player of the Week

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Seth Serhienko Named Cyclone Hockey Player of the Week
Exemplary high-percentage hockey yields results
February 3, 2015 – Ames, Iowa – Cyclone Hockey is pleased to announce senior forward Seth Serhienko
(Bottineau, N.D. – Dakota-Bottineau Lumberjacks/NJCAA) as its Player of the Week after scoring a goal in each
of Iowa State’s games last weekend against second-ranked Central Oklahoma and after another series of exemplary
high-percentage hockey.
Serhienko contributed offensively in Friday night’s 5-4 victory over the Bronchos by winning a battle for the puck at
the blue line to maintain the offensive zone and releasing a low wrist shot from the top of a face-off circle to score at
4:05 of the third period and tallied Iowa State’s lone goal in its 2-1 loss to Central Oklahoma Saturday night by
lobbing an off-foot wrist shot that deflected off the butterflied pad of Broncho netminder Brett Patchett and in at
10:05 of the third to tally both nights. The two-goal weekend gives Serhienko 5 points (3-2-5) in his last seven
games and he’s now eighth in team scoring with 15 points (6-9-15) in 35 games.
Typically, the old adage about scoring goals in hockey is, “They don’t ask how, they ask how many,” but in
Serhienko’s case, the how really is as important as the how many, because they’re causally linked.
“On both of his goals, he was getting pucks on net and shooting through screens instead of trying to make an extra
move or getting too fancy,” said Cyclone Hockey Head Coach and General Manager Jason Fairman of Serhienko’s
two goals against Central Oklahoma. “I wish more guys would follow that rule.”
In addition to how Serhienko scores goals by playing smart hockey, he also helps his linemates score goals with his
offensive awareness and has been a significant factor in the success of linemate Scott Antonsen (Calgary, Alberta
– Olds Grizzlys/AJHL), who has been Iowa State’s most consistent scorer the last three months with 13 points
(9-4-13) in his last 17 games. Serhienko, Antonsen, and freshman Joseph DeLuca (Naperville, Ill. – New Jersey
Hitmen/USPHL Elite) have become a fixture as a forward line for the Cyclones game in and game out and have
established themselves as a model of consistency both offensively and defensively, with perhaps no one more
consistent than Serhienko.
“Seth’s high aren’t too high and his lows aren’t too low,” said Fairman. “We know what we’re getting in Seth’s
game shift in and shift out, and that reliability is one of the reasons his line has stayed together and why they’ve
been our best line a lot of games in recent months.”
While Antonsen brings a goal-scoring touch to the line, DeLuca brings speed and puck skills, and Serhienko brings
some playmaking prowess and two-way hockey sense, the line’s success has come down largely to the willingness
of all three players to keep their games uncomplicated offensively and defensively, which is something Serhienko
has done all season and which his linemates came around to in early November.
“We ask most of our players to keep the game simple and if you play the game a certain way, you’re more apt to
have a certain outcome,” explained Fairman. “When you try and play outside of that and you have guys playing
different games, it doesn’t lead to a cohesive unit.
“Seth’s line has developed chemistry and that willingness to play within our systems has been a big reason for that.”
Serhienko’s consistency and responsibility have helped him earn more and more trust form the coaching staff as the
season has progressed and, with it more and more ice time. That increased trust in Serhienko has not meant only
more time of the ice for the senior transfer, it has also translated to more ice time for his linemates, too.
“In our system, it’s required that centermen almost act as a third defenseman in the defensive zone and they have to
be defensively responsible,” said Fairman. “Seth has accepted that responsibility, takes pride in his defense, and his
attention to detail and his ability to execute what’s asked of him makes it far easier for his linemates to execute what
is asked of them, too.”
On top of establishing himself as one of Iowa State’s most consistent performers, Serhienko has also established
himself as one of the Cyclones most-improved players, not only from the start of last season after transferring from
Dakota College-Bottineau after two seasons at the junior college ranks but even from the start of this season.
“It wasn’t uncommon for Seth to be a healthy scratch last season, but he established himself as a regular in the lineup from the very start of this season,” said Fairman. “As this season has progressed, Seth’s speed has improved and
he’s really improved his ability to play the game at the high pace you need to at this level and he’s become more
comfortable being able to execute plays at top speed.
“Being able to make plays at a higher tempo is one of the biggest challenges for players moving up levels and
divisions and Seth’s done that, which has benefitted him, his line, and the entire team.”
The steadily improving and performing Serhienko and his Cyclone teammates hit the road next weekend to take on
Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL) rival Robert Morris, which swept third-ranked Ohio this past
weekend. Both games against the Eagles at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois, are slated to start at 7:30
p.m. Central Time. Fans who cannot attend the games in the Chicagoland in person can watch the game online live
on America One. To register and/or to watch, go to the Cyclone Hockey website at www.cyclonehockey.com and
click on any America One logo on the homepage.
The organization is still busy selling flex packs and mini packs for use the rest of the season. Cyclone Hockey also
offers steep discounts on group rates for groups of fans of 10 or more fans. Group rates must be secured two weeks
prior to the desired game a group intends to attend. Fans can learn more about Cyclone Hockey’s dramatically
slashed ticket prices and group rates at the organization’s website at www.cyclonehockey.com and can purchase
tickets by calling 515.294.0410 or at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena on game nights. Cyclone Hockey can also be followed
on Facebook at /CycloneHockey, on Twitter at @Cyclone Hockey, and on Instagram at @CycloneHockey. Cyclone
Hockey…Welcome to the New Age!
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