Hockey Club prepares for fast and physical game with Wyoming
The Utah State University hockey club will play two games against defending Division III National Champion University of Wyoming Cowboys Friday and Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. at the George S. Eccles Ice Sheet.
Team captain Paul Amidon described Wyoming’s play as “fast and physical.”
Utah State won the only previous meeting between the teams in a 4-0 shutout played in Wyoming.
Despite the four-goal margin, Amidon said it was one of the team’s hardest fought contests of the season.
“A lot of their fans were coming up and saying that it was the best game that they had ever seen,” Amidon said.
When asked about Wyoming’s style of play, Aaron Burrell said, “They’re a chippy team who’ll try to get us off our game by slashing, spearing [and] hooking.”
That game was a sellout, and Amidon said he hopes for the same type of hostile atmosphere to greet Wyoming players in the games being played this weekend.
Amidon said he doesn’t mind the late 9:30 p.m. start.
“With a five-minute drive to the rink, I’ll take it,” Amidon said. “We’ll get home at the same time we did when we played in Ogden.”
However, with the way the hockey team is playing since the move to Logan, it shouldn’t be difficult to draw a good crowd. This weekend’s games should be especially exciting with a good Wyoming team coming to town.
“At our new home rink, it’s going to be tough for anyone to steal a game from us,” Burrell said. “We’ll keep our heads and work our own systems and come out victorious.”
Amidon said, “It will definitely be a fun game to watch for those who come out.”
Led by Amidon, Burrell, newcomer Don Weisweaver and others, the Aggies are in prime position to make a run at this year’s Division II National Championship.
Next weekend the Aggies close out their regular season with a Friday game against Weber State University and a Saturday game against the University of Utah. Both of those games will also be held at 9:30 p.m.