From average game to big name
What a difference a year makes. Last season, Jacob Guttormsen finished his freshman year with only seven goals and 18 points for the season.
After last weekend, he has four goals and 18 points in only 12 games as a sophomore.
“I guess luck is with me this year,” Guttormsen said. “I’ve been trying to play a lot harder than I was last year.”
Teammate Nick Thiros has seen some definite improvement as well.
“Last year he was an unknown and this year he’s one of the stars of the team,” he said. “I’m happy for this guy, having as much success as he’s having.”
Head Coach Jerry Crossley has also been pleased with his effort.
“Jacob, when he’s on his game, is a huge impact in the game,” he said. “He’s out there working hard and having a good impact.”
Through last weekend, Guttormsen is second on the team in total points, behind Robert Hashimoto but ahead of last year’s point leader, Aaron Burrell. He also has a plus/minus of seven, meaning that while he is on the ice, the Aggies have scored seven more goals than they have allowed.
Guttormsen said he has been helped by two of his linemates, Nick Haase and Roberto Leo.
“They’ve been great with the puck and dishing it off to me,” he said.
Guttormsen has been playing hockey since he was 4 years old and living in Calgary, Alberta.
“It’s a huge hockey town,” he said. “If you don’t play hockey, you’re kind of a loner. Everyone plays hockey in Canada.”
He said he loves the sport because it’s so intense and fast.
“It’s just the blood-rush that’s throughout your system whenever you know you’re playing it,” he said. “I’ve loved this sport ever since I started playing.”
Guttormsen also said he loves the teamwork aspect of hockey. He enjoys being around a group of guys that he’s so close with every year because it makes sure he’s that much better.
He said he thinks USU is more of a team than other schools.
“The things that we do together – the drylands, the practices, what we do after [practices] – I would definitely say that we’re a lot closer of a team than a lot of the teams we play,” he said.
Guttormsen thinks that is a huge advantage because they get to know each other a lot better. They start knowing each other on how they play and they react in different situations.
As with every other Aggie hockey player, Guttormsen said he loves the fans here.
“The crowd here just jumps my heart,” he said. “It’s awesome to have the crowd that we do behind us.”
While he never imagined he would be at USU when he was learning to play hockey in Canada, Guttormsen said that he came to Logan for the flight school and the hockey team.
He said both were an equal factor in his decision to come.
Guttormsen is currently a professional pilot major, but he said he is thinking of changing to air traffic control.
“I’m playing hockey for fun right now. I’m not trying to go anywhere with it. I’m just playing for the heck of it,” he said.
-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu
Weber State´s Steve McCracken tries to chase down Utah State´s Nick Thiros during Friday´s contest in Ogden. (Photo by John Zsiray)