Hockey taking on two ranked teams
The 6-6-1 skating Aggies wrap up a six-game homestand this weekend, with games against top-10 ranked teams out of the Western Region, the ninth-ranked San Jose State Spartans and the sixth-ranked Denver University Pioneers.
USU seems to be getting healthy at the right time, with William Winsa returning to action after missing last weekend’s games against Weber State and BYU with strep throat. Paul Reinhardt hasn’t practiced this week due to his broken wrist but will suit up for the games. The Ag defensive lines will be further boosted by the return of Kyler McCarrell from a one-game suspension and the addition of newly eligible Nels Hansen.
USU’s top statistical players this year are Kent Arsenault, who leads the team with 15 goals and 27 assists; Jay McFadden, who has 20 points; and Winsa, who leads the team in assists with 14. The Spartans have been led by wing Sean Scarborough and center Andy Dickerson, who are tied for the team lead in goals with 12 apiece.
Team Captain Scotty John said USU’s players also need to watch out for No. 91 in the San Jose jersey, Mickey Rhodes, who is a big hitter.
“I anticipate San Jose State being a hot-and-cold team,” John said, pointing out the Spartans’ back-to-back games against the University of Utah as evidence.
San Jose scraped by the Utes, 6-5 one night, then pasted them, 14-2, the next.
San Jose’s schedule also shows a 4-1 home loss to the same Long Beach State team USU tied 3-3 and might have won had Arsenault not been injured in the third period.
John said the Aggies are not overlooking the Spartans.
“They’re always a good team,” John said. “I’m not going to make any predictions or try and say that we’re not worried about them as much as DU because I think they’re a dangerous team.”
Saturday night will bring a Denver team hungry for revenge into the Eccles Ice Arena. USU beat DU on their home ice, 2-0, earlier this year, thanks to a fantastic performance by goalie Greg Finatti.
“They’re a solid team,” John said of the Pioneers. “They’re way better than that 2-0 loss indicated just because Finatti played so well.”
Denver’s performances against common opponents provide a better barometer of the quality of their team than the USU loss. DU boasts two wins over Colorado State by a combined score of 9-5. That same CSU team beat USU 6-0.
While Alex Harbison and his 3.75 goals-against average will most likely be starting in the pipes against USU, fans may want to watch to see if the Denver coaching staff elects to put in massive backup Cooper Lee.
Lee, No. 32 for Denver, stands an impressive 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 235 pounds. Forward Alex Cooper leads the Pioneers in scoring with nine goals and 16 points so far, including two short-handed goals.
“They’ll be mad about the last loss,” John said, referring to the Weber State Wildcats and BYU Icecats. “They’ve got speed and they’re a good transition team, just like those jerks we played last week. That’s something in my opinion we could work on, defending those rushes.”
John said fan support for these important games is crucial for his team as the Aggies fight to improve their ranking from seventh and challenge the top teams-No. 1 Colorado University, No. 2 Utah Valley and No. 3 Eastern Washington.
“Definitely after last week I hope people will be excited this weekend,” John said. “It’s like night and day for us. It’s indicated by our road record how well we play at home with fan support.”
Utah State has a 4-2-1 record at home this year, versus a 2-4 record away from their barn.
-graham.terry@aggiemail.usu.edu