Ag hockey nabs final spot
The Utah State hockey club is going to nationals after sweeping two games against the Provo IceCats last weekend by scores of 4-1 and 7-2.
Saturday, Nick Thiros scored four goals and USU gave up only eight shots the first two periods as the Aggies dominated the IceCats at the Eccles Ice Center.
“It feels awesome,” Aggie Nate Pierce said. “I can’t believe that there was any contention that we were going to nationals.”
The official rankings will not be released until Friday, but head coach Jerry Crossley said USU can finally relax.
“I can take a day off and start all over again,” he said. “It was a good weekend for the guys.”
Crossley said the Aggies are playing at the top of their game right now.
“I think the guys are playing well together,” he said. “Our chemistry is really coming in to place. I think we’re playing as well as we’ve played all season right now.”
Thiros scored USU’s seventh shorthanded goal of the season against BYU in North Logan early in the second period.
“Those are the sweetest goals of all,” Pierce said. “You get a nice pass when they’re not paying attention and you’re gone.”
Before the game, the teams took time out to honor BYU player Jaxon Logan, who died earlier this season during a game.
Aggie captain Nick Haase, Aaron Burrell and Thiros presented a USU jersey with Logan’s No. 11 on it and there was a brief moment of silence before the singing of the national anthem.
“I’ve been thinking about that situation,” Crossley said. “The hockey family is kind of unique. It doesn’t matter if you play on the same team or not. He was just one of us.”
Pierce also said there is no place for a rivalry when a hockey player dies.
“When something like that happens, it doesn’t matter who you play for,” he said. “We’re just brothers playing hockey.”
Friday, the Aggies beat the IceCats 4-1 in front of rowdy crowd in Provo.
Robert Hashimoto scored a goal 22 seconds after BYU’s only goal in the third period to kill the IceCat momentum and seal the win for the Ags.
“It’s amazing,” Burrell said. “Everybody played great.”
Even though USU won by three goals, Burrell said the game felt much closer.
“It was pretty close,” he said. “That was 60 minutes of just solid hockey.”
Haase said that although it was a tough game, it was no surprise that USU came out on top.
“There was a lot of heart on both sides of the ice,” he said. “You could tell there was some emotion involved. But we knew we were a better team.”
With the Aggies up 3-0, BYU scored on a power play to cut the lead to two goals and energize the crowd.
Haase said it was huge that Hashimoto scored so soon after the IceCat goal.
“It’s always important to come back after they score and kill their momentum,” he said.
Burrell added that USU couldn’t have timed it any better.
“There was just enough time for them to make a comeback, but then Hashi came right back and scored it,” he said.
Fighting broke out as the game ended between Hashimoto and IceCat Josh Burkart, resulting in a dis-qualification of Burkart for Saturday’s game.
“They got to put on a show for the fans,” Burrell said. “It was pretty unsportsmanlike.”
USU will play its final home game of the season Saturday against the Weber State Division-I squad.
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Aggie Jordan Francom checkes a Provo IceCat palyer into the boards Saturday night at the Eccles Ice Center. By winning its two games over the weekend to qualify for nationals. (Photo by John Zsiray)