Ags to host No. 2 Denver

After nearly knocking off the top-ranked team in the region last weekend, the Utah State hockey club will get a shot to redeem themselves against No. 2 Denver.

The Aggies will try to avenge a 3-1 loss to the Pioneers back on Oct. 20 in Colorado.

“We can handle them, especially at home,” team captain Scotty John said. “We don’t want to underestimate them again. It will be a tough game for them.”

The game is tonight at 8 p.m. at the Eccles Ice Center in North Logan.

USU currently ranks No. 10 in the region. Last Friday, the Aggies nearly upset No. 1 San Jose State, but gave up two power-play goals in the final 3:20 to lose 4-3 at home.

“We should have beat San Jose,” Aggie Roberto Leo said.

Aggie Josh Groves said USU should have a significant home-ice advantage against the Pioneers.

“We can’t wait for the big crowd,” he said. “We’ve seen them and we know what they do. As long as we come out and get the first goal, it’ll be no problem.”

Groves said getting that first goal has not been a strong point for USU this season.

“It’s been a problem up until last week,” he said. “We go down and there’s no good vibe on the bench. Guys start yelling at each other.”

The Aggies went down 2-0 against SJSU after the first period, but rallied for three straight goals to take the lead until the final minutes of the game.

John said the reason USU lost to DU earlier this season is because the Aggies weren’t ready.

“They’re kind of like an upset team,” he said. “Teams are not ready for them. Personally, I think we weren’t prepared for it.”

Groves said the last game between the teams was the first game after a long bus trip for the Aggies, yet it was still a close game.

“They aren’t that great,” Groves said. “We were slow that day. We know we can kill them.”

Although DU is eight spots higher in the rankings at this point, the Aggies are trying not to pay attention to it.

“We can’t really go by those rankings,” Leo said. “There are so many games left. Come next rankings, we could be up five spots.”

Leo said that despite all that, he still doesn’t think that USU deserves to be ranked so low.

“I definitely don’t think we deserved to be tenth,” he said. “It kind of sucks to see that UCLA is five spots ahead of you. We know we’re better.”

USU finished No. 4 in the region last season and No. 3 the year before that.

-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu