Ags set for UVSC, CSU

Defending regional champion Colorado State, a team the Aggies haven’t defeated in more than four years, will take on the Utah State hockey club Saturday in hopes of keeping that winning streak alive.

USU will warm up for Saturday’s match-up by hosting UVSC Friday. Both games will start at 8 p.m. at the Eccles Ice Center in North Logan.

The Aggies lost to BYU last Friday 5-3 in Provo, but rebounded to tie the Eastern Washington Eagles 3-3 Saturday in Logan. USU now has a record of 3-2 on the season.

“A huge part of our problem was effort,” Aggie Brandon Latham said. “But we played with a lot of effort and heart [against EWU] and that was critical. Now we can worry about hockey again.”

Robert Hashimoto said USU is still not playing up to its potential, but took a step in the right direction with its tie with EWU.

“We had that 10-minute breakdown in the third period, but when Cory [Wardell] got hurt, we picked it up,” he said.

USU trailed 3-2 until 7:01 to play in the game when Jordan Francom scored the tying goal.

Defensive coach Ned Hillyard said the team needs to start playing together if it wants to qualify for nationals.

“This team has more talent than it has ever had,” he said. “It just hasn’t come together.”

After last Friday’s loss to BYU, the Aggies moved Francom from forward back to defense, the position he played for most of his life until late last season.

Hillyard said moving Francom helps the defensive depth.

“I don’t have to worry about who’s out on the ice with who anymore,” he said.

USU has never faced UVSC before since this is the Wolverines first season with a hockey team. So far, they have accumulated a 5-5 record. Friday, UVSC lost 10-1 to EWU. However, the Wolverines won an early season tournamen in Alton, Illinois against Central Region teams.

-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu