Aggies skate to victory
The much-anticipated debut of the Utah State University hockey team in its new home, the George S. Eccles Ice Center, did not disappoint the large crowd on hand for the event.
Led by strong performances from Adam Lain and Aaron Burrell, the Aggies cruised past in-state rival Weber State for a 4-2 victory Wednesday.
The electric atmosphere led the Aggies to come out of the gates with a lot of intensity. Coach Jerry Crosley said some of the guys were probably trying too much early on, leading to two penalties in the first five minutes of play and a Weber State goal.
As time went on, the Aggies were able to focus their intensity and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission, getting goals from Greg Howard and Aaron Burrell.
During the second period, the bad blood between these two teams became evident, but neither team was able to score.
However, just one minute into the third period, Aaron Burrell scored his second goal of the game with a shot into the top of the net.
Another goal was added by wing Kelly Froerer with 8:42 left in the game to make the score
4-1.
Weber made a late comeback attempt, getting a goal from Dan Dixon, but it was too little, too late.
Burrell led the Aggies in goals scored (2), and in penalty minutes (8). In a post-game locker room interview, Burrell justified his three separate roughing penalties.
“You’ve got to stick up for your homies,” he said.
However, when Burrell was called the star of the game, he pointed all of the credit to his “homie” Adam Lain, the team’s goalie.
Lain said it was very big to be able to win their first game in their new house, and looks foward to games this Friday and Saturday played against the Midget AAA All-stars and the Junior Maple Leafs.
The Midget AAA All-stars and the Junior Maple Leafs games are not league games and similar to that of minor league programs.
Freshman Greg Howard played for the Alaska All-stars, a Midget AAA team.
Captain Paul Amidon said, “It feels good. This is the start of a new era for USU hockey.”
Spectators of the game will also recall an incident where a woman in the stands was hit with a flying puck.
Early in the second period, a puck went off the rim of the sideboards and hit the woman sitting on the concrete bleachers.
USU team doctor Jim Davis said her injuries, which included lacerations to her head, were “fairly serious.”
The puck cut her head right above the left eye brow.
The games on Saturday and Sunday are scheduled to start at 8 p.m. at the Eccles Ice Center.