Back in October, Metro’s club ice hockey team started their season with a full roster of players and high expectations. On Oct. 17, they defeated the University of Colorado, 5-3, Metro’s first win against their rivals from Boulder.

A month later, Metro rolled off four wins in a row, including victories over Colorado State University, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. Then the Roadrunners fell off a cliff.

By January, the team was down nine players, including four of their top-five leading scorers, who either left for personal reasons or were not allowed to play because of academic eligibility issues. When it was all said and done, Metro finished the season with a 5-23 record, including 14 losses in a row.

“Overall it was disappointing because we started out really well and we had a lot of expectations, but we didn’t finish the season very well,” said forward Turner Bahn, the team’s captain, president and leading scorer.

Losing nine players at the semester break made it difficult for the team to compete.

“I think if we kept those guys, it would have been different,” forward Kyle Obuhanick said. “Toward the end of the season we were playing with 12 guys on our team. We originally had 25 guys picked for the lineup. It’s hard to win when you’re down your core guys and then secondly, when you have only a couple extra guys on the bench to take your shifts. Bahn said that losing so many players, and games, took its toll on the team.

“I think it definitely affected everybody’s attitude toward playing,” Bahn said. “Practices got way more relaxed. Game situations got way more relaxed. In the locker room before games, the mood was just way more relaxed. Despite the lack of on-ice success this year, Obuhanick said the team still had fun and is excited for next season.

“I think next year is going to be a completely different season,” Obuhanick said. “I think we’re going to have a whole new group of guys coming in. I think we’re going to gain a lot more skilled players. I know the skill players that we did have that we lost at semester are going to come back. So I am really hopeful for next year. I am not discouraged at all.”