When USU & BYU face on ice, Aggies dominate
Nothing throws fuel on a competitive fire more than a rivalry game.
Two teams that can’t stand each other due to either close approximate location or constant competition, makes for optimal entertainment. But when it comes to the ice rink, the Aggies don’t face the stiff competition you would expect from a Utah State-BYU rivalry.
Senior captain Cooper Limb recalled his first game with Utah State against BYU. where they drubbed them 20-0.
“We have never been close,” Limb said. “They (BYU) have never come within 5 goals of us.”
Freshman Chris Cutshall had similar thoughts. But that doesn’t mean the Aggies lack intensity when they meet the Cougars.
“On a competitive level I would say they are at the lower end compared to other teams,” Cutshall said. “Just because they are BYU and we do play them a lot, there is a sense that we want to kick their butt.”
In a previous encounter towards the beginning of this season the Aggies were able to handle the Cougars once again, beating them in Provo 9-3. Limb, having scored two goals, noted the advantage of having a rowdier crowd in Logan.
“The atmosphere is one hundred times better in Logan.” Cutshall said. “Most of the times we’ve played them down there they have not pulled out a very big crowd. Honestly, I would say that we have almost matched them with the amount of fans that come down to watch for us.”
The Aggies got to enjoy the satisfaction of pleasing the large home crowd at the expense of the Cougars on Saturday night. USU put up a plethora of goals against BYU again, beating them 9-1 this time.
Morgan McJimsey’s hat trick led the way with many more names on the score sheet. Dagen Walton added two goals to the cause. The Aggie seniors got to enjoy a final beat down of the Cougars, and this time they got the joy of doing it in front of the home crowd in Logan on Senior Night.
The game was a chippy affair. Limb had a premature exit in the middle of the 3rd period for fighting, but it still served as a perfect confidence booster leading to the Western Regional tournament finals next weekend.
“It feels like the whole town comes out,” Cutshall said. “We pretty much pack the stands, it’s definitely family here, we’re one. Down in Provo they lack that.”
While the rivalry feels very much alive between the schools in basketball and football, with the tension of approximate location of the schools makes it feel like it should be a rivalry, when it comes to inside the glass there is a definite lack of constant competition from the BYU Cougars.
To consider them rivals in hockey would be a personal opinion.
“We have no rivalry with BYU,” Limb said. “We never have.”
— tparadise@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @tristan0010