Sweepless in San Jose
Utah State’s club hockey team spent the weekend in San Jose, Calif., and came home with three wins out of the possible four. The only team in the San Jose Showcase to beat the Aggies was the hometown San Jose State Spartans.
Utah State 14, UNLV 3
Utah State started the tournament strong with a decisive victory of the Rebels of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Forward Matt Hamilton had his best game of the season scoring twice and adding four assists.
The Aggies’ special teams was especially effective, scoring four times on seven power play opportunities scoring a shorthanded goal during a penalty kill. USU allowed just one power play goal on nine chances for UNLV.
Utah State scored seven unanswered goals to put the game out of reach down the stretch.
Utah State 10, Texas A&M 2
Utah State captain Brian Gibbons recorded his fifth hat trick of the season and the Aggies took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission. In the final 6:08 of the first period, three different Utah State players scored.
USU extended its lead to 8-0 by the end of the second period including Gibbons hat trick goal with seven seconds remaining in the period.
Utah State once again took a lot of penalties, but only surrendered one power play goal. Goalie Bryce Scherschel made 45 saves, but was pulled after he allowed the second goal. Taylor Flandro made seven saves in relief.
San Jose State 4, Utah State 3
Utah State’s comeback attempt against the hometown Spartans came up short after the Aggies scored two third-period goals.
After an efficient penalty kill performance in the first two games of the tournament, penalties finally caught up with the Aggies. Playing shorthanded prevented any offensive rhythm and in the final seven minutes of the second period, the Aggies only played 2:10 of five on five while being down a man the rest of the time.
With 2:29 left in the second period, the Spartans scored what ended up being the game-winner on the power play.
The Aggies won the third period, but not decisively enough.
Brian Gibbons scored shorthanded and Hamilton scored on the power play, but the Aggies fell short of tying the game and forcing overtime.
The Aggies and Spartans have now split the season series 1-1.
Utah State 3, San Diego State 2
Utah State ended the San Jose Showcase on a good note, beating the Aztecs 3-2, despite trailing for a large portion of the game.
San Diego State struck first with 1:24 left in the first period to take the 1-0 lead into the second period.
Neither team scored in the second period, so the Aggies started the final period of the tournament down by one. Utah State then scored three unanswered goals to take the lead.
Cooper Limb scored first for the Aggies three and a half minutes into the third period, and Brian Gibbons scored less than three minutes later to give USU its first lead of the game. Defenseman Mike Trimboli added the eventual game-winner on the power play.
Utah State went on another power play but surrendered a short-handed goal with six minutes left. San Diego State cut the lead down to 3-2.
The Aggies held on to finish the tournament 3-1.
Utah State returns home on Friday Feb. 1, against Weber State at the George S. Eccles Ice Center in North Logan at 7 p.m.
– sean.osullivan@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @seansy89