USU downs BYU
Despite out-shooting BYU 61-22, the Utah State hockey club needed overtime to beat the Cougars 4-3 and win its first official game of the season Saturday.
Defenseman Nate Pierce found the back of the net on a slapshot in the extra period to put the Aggies on top.
“It’s sweet,” he said. “There is nothing better than scoring a game-winning goal in overtime.”
Roberto Leo said the win was the perfect way to start the year.
“This was a big win,” he said. “We needed this. When you start the season with a win, it builds your confidence, especially against BYU.”
Head Coach Jerry Crossley said even though his team should have won by more than one goal, the game was a good learning experience for the team.
“There were a lot of positives,” he said. “There was only one area we didn’t do well in and that was putting shots in the net. Other than that, our passing and conditioning was great.”
Trailing 3-2, USU was forced to pull its goalie to add an extra player with two minutes remaining. While the move is usually unsuccessful, it paid off for the Aggies when Robert Hashimoto scored off a pass from William Winsa with 1:10 to play in regulation time.
“It’s one of those gambles you take,” Crossley said. “You’re always nervous when you’re behind. But the guys all stuck it out and came out with a win.”
Crossley said his team was able to stay in the game because of its depth.
“Our ability for all of our guys to contribute is what allowed us to win that game,” he said.
With 12:18 to play in the first period, the game took an ugly turn when a BYU player put a shoulder into USU goalie Adam Lain on a breakaway, causing a small fight to break out involving Aggies Chad Johnson and Leo.
USU and BYU were involved in two different 11-player brawls last season in Logan, both of which started when a goalie was hit illegally.
“I was nervous,” Crossley said. “Something like that could unravel everything. It was a big thing for the team to stay in the game and give themselves a chance to win.”
Saturday’s game drew a record attendance of 1,640 fans to the Eccles Ice Arena.
The Aggies have never lost to the Cougars in Logan.
USU 8, USU Alumni 4
The Aggies won the second annual exhibition game against the USU hockey alumni 8-4 Friday in a game that was not nearly as friendly as last season’s contest.
USU’s 10-0 victory last season in this game was full of respect and good feelings between the two squads, but Friday’s game produced some bad blood between the alumni and some of the new Aggie players.
“That’s the difference,” Crossley said. “There’s no connection with all the players this year. Last year, they all played with someone along the way. Now they’re just hockey players.”
Everyne on USU except for the 11 new players had been teammates with some of the alumni team.
Crossley said he is sad the teams aren’t as close as they were last season, but he is glad his team took the game seriously.
“You don’t want to see that happen,” he said. “But it’s good to see more competition.”
Aggie Mike Walker scored two goals in his debut at USU.
“I’ll get more next time,” he said. “It’s good to be an Aggie.”
USU’s all-time leading goal-scorer Aaron Burrell scored a goal for the alumni against his former teammates.
“[USU] didn’t want me to score,” he said. “They made it a point not to. They had three guys hanging all over me.”
Burrell said to score against the Aggies has been a dream for him.
“I wished for years I could skate against them because I knew I could school them.”
The alumni wore Northridge High School Knight uniforms as opposed to the Aggies’ away jerseys they wore last season.
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Aggie Chad Johnson looks to send the puck up the ice while Brett Fryslie looks on.