USU hockey sweeps rivals, extends winning streak
Starting something it desperately wanted and needed to do, the Utah State hockey club gained critical momentum with wins on Friday and Saturday.
The Aggies defeated the Skatin’ Utes 5-4 in overtime Saturday night in Salt Lake City as defenseman Paul Amidon set up center Nick Thiros on a breakaway for the game-winner with 31 seconds remaining.
USU also downed the BYU Ice Cats 6-2 Friday night in Logan.
Thiros said his winning goal was a bit of redemption for two defensive lapses he had earlier in the game which allowed the Utes to put in two goals.
“I had to score in overtime,” he said. “I almost lost us the game.”
After the Aggies took a 3-0 first period lead and added another goal early in the third, the Skatin’ Utes put in the equalizer with 5:02 remaining in the third period.
USU handled the Ice Cats easily, taking a 4-0 lead three-and-a-half minutes into the second period.
The Ice Cats’ two goals came three minutes later in a 20-second span.
The Aggies played both games with a new body guarding their net.
Josh Groves, a freshman who was a utility defenseman until practice started last Tuesday, was needed because USU’s original two netminders [Dustin Merrill and Dustin Van Dyke] will have to sit out the remaining games because of what USU Head Coach Jerry Crossley said were eligibility problems.
Groves, who said he played goalie in juniors, impressed teammates and opposing coaches.
“Josh is fabulous,” Thiros said. “I wish we would have known he could play goal at the beginning of the season. He’s only going to get better.”
Skatin’ Ute Head Coach Stan Weiss, “[USU’s] goaltender did a fine job under the circumstances. None of the goals scored against him were soft goals. The USU team did a good job of defending him and keeping [our] shots on nets lower than normal.”
USU (11-9-1) is now two games above .500 for the first time since early October.
Guttormsen doing well
Even though he received three brutal blows to the back of his neck Friday night, USU forward Jacob Guttormsen is doing well and could possibly play this weekend, team doctor Jim Davis said.
The incident occurred with 3:56 remaining in the third period as BYU center Derrick Battiste crosschecked Guttormsen (hitting him three times with his stick in both hands).
Guttormsen went face down on the ice and was motionless for 15 minutes before paramedics came, putting him on a stretcher and carrying him away to Logan Regional Hospital.
X-rays taken there showed no serious injury, Davis said.
Guttormsen was with the team for Saturday’s game, but only as a spectator in the bleachers.
“This whole season I’ve always wanted to sit in the stands and watch,” he said. “It was an interesting experience.”
Battiste’s hit, which Guttormsen said was “definitely” a cheap shot, has likely earned him a one-game suspension, but BYU Head Coach Tim Chou said he had not received an official confirmation from American Collegiate Hockey Association officials.
The Aggies will attempt to extend their win streak as the University of Washington comes to town Friday. The game is slated to start at 7:30 p.m.
–samhis@cc.usu.edu