Hockey team gets first shutout
The Utah State hockey club shutout the Eastern Washington Eagles 6-0 in a dominant performance Saturday, following its lackluster effort Thursday.
Robert Hashimoto found the back of the net twice in the Aggies’ first shutout victory since their only meeting with Eastern Washington last year.
“Everyone loves shutouts,” Goalie Adam Lain said. “It was a good game. We played strong defensively. It was a team effort. I feel like I was on my game tonight.”
The Aggies scored three power play goals after failing to score a single goal with a man advantage Thursday night.
“Well it was really important for us to get on the power play and get something going on these guys,” Aggie Brett Fryslie said. “Last game, it took us a while to score so they built confidence and they thought they could play with us.”
“The first game we played against these guys we didn’t have any power plays, really,” Hashimoto said. “Tonight they were being a little chippy so we got our chances and we scored on them. So I think that changed the whole momentum of the game.”
Hashimoto’s two goals were his first of the season.
“Thank God, that’s all I got to say,” he said. “I feel like a heavy burden came off me. My line-mates played awesome. They’re the ones who made it happen tonight.”
Lain saved all 20 shots taken on him after Chris Webber stopped 28 of the 30 shots taken on him Thursday.
“Between the two goalies, they actually played great games,” assistant coach Jon Eccles said. “I think our team as a whole stepped up and really played well together. We didn’t play at their level.”
Eccles said he didn’t want to start Webber again Saturday because he is still nursing a groin injury.
“I didn’t want him to come in and get something hurt and not be able to fall back on him in Colorado,” he said.
USU had a much more physical presence Saturday than it had on Thursday.
“We came out and played aggressive and physical and forced them to make mistakes against us,” Fryslie said.
“Once we started hitting, all the guys on the bench started getting up,” Eccles said. “So every time a fresh line would go out there they were looking to hit and to control the puck and not let them have a chance to come down and shoot on us.”
The Aggies also out-shot the Eagles 55-20.
“It was awesome because you could tell their goalie was getting tired quick,” Eccles said. “Every time there was a whistle, he was bent over. He was exhausted.”
The Aggies turn their attention next to Colorado where they will play the University of Colorado and Colorado State next weekend. The Aggies did not beat either team last year.
“It was real important for us to get this win and get our power play going against Colorado teams, we got to have our power play going in order to keep up with them,” Fryslie said. “They are always good teams and they are always strong. I don’t think we’ve ever won a game in Colorado. So it’s real important to go in with a real positive attitude.”
On Thursday, the Utah State hockey club skated to a 2-2 tie with Eastern Washington, in a game that lacked offense and intensity.
“Nobody came to skate,” Aggie Roberto Leo said. “We took it easy. We played flat-footed and they kept up with us. We played down to their level. That’s been our problem all year.”
“For the most part I think we played them other than we had a couple of breakdowns and it cost us goals,” head coach Jerry Crossley said. “Guys just didn’t do little things that you got to do every time. If you give a team a chance then they’ll take it.”
Leo scored both goals for the Aggies and Robert Hashimoto, Nick Thiros and Jordan Francom each added an assist.
Chris Webber had a solid night in goal, coming up with many big saves for USU.
“Webber had a good night,” Leo said. “He kept them out for us.”
“I think I did okay,” Webber said. “In my opinion I should have had both goals. I take responsibility for both of them.”
Still, the Aggies were not playing with the intensity they normally play with.
“We kind of backed off a little last night in practice trying to get a little fresher and apparently it didn’t work,” Crossley said.
Leo said that the problem was with their physical play.
“That was our main problem tonight – we weren’t hitting,” he said. “We should beat this team.”
Webber said the team didn’t have any letdowns, but the offense was not playing as well as it was capable of.
“[EWU] had a couple of lucky bounces, but nothing was really clicking on offensively for us,” he said.
The Aggies were not helped by the crowd, which was the smallest cheering section they have had at home all year.
“It’s always better to have a bigger crowd,” Crossley said. “Our guys like to play in front of a big crowd and their used to it. But that’s a Thursday night game for us.”
“I don’t want to say it did, but I think [the small crowd] had some effect,” Leo said. “When you score a goal, you want to get the crowd going. But that’s no excuse.”
Despite tying the team that finished fifth in the West Region last year, the Aggies are still frustrated with the result.
“It feels like a loss,” Webber said. “This is a team that we should beat. Tying them is a pretty disappointing.”
-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu
Aaron Burrell tries to skate over an Eastern Washington player. (Photo by John Zsiray)