Hockey club stays on track
The Utah State club hockey team defeated the Long Beach State 49ers 3-1 Saturday in a game in which not a single penalty was called on either team. The Aggies also knocked off Eastern Washington University 6-0 Friday.
Jacob Guttormsen and Roberto Leo each assisted two goals for the Aggies.
“I think everybody played pretty solid today,” Leo said. “We should have scored more of our chances. We had a lot of chances that we should have put away.”
After combining with the Weber State Division I squad for more than 100 penalty minutes just three weeks ago, USU lasted the entire game without any penalties being called on them.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for that [no-penalty] game,” said Head Coach Jerry Crossley. “That’s probably the difference between a win and a loss for us. That’s good discipline on our guys and I can’t be any more pleased about that.”
Crossley said he does not remember ever coaching a game where there were no penalties.
USU scored first on a one-timer by Brandon Lang off a pass from Leo from behind the net. The Aggies scored their second goal in the third period on almost an identical play. Nick Haase shot a pass from Guttormsen past 49ers goalie Mike Bergman 27 seconds into the third period to snap a 1-1 tie that had lasted for more than a period and a half.
Aaron Burrell slapped in a rebound in the net with 7:36 left in the third period to put the Aggies up by two.
LBSU scored their only goal with 12:03 left in the first period when Todd Schapmire found a way around USU goalie Chris Webber.
“I’ve never had a game where I’ve had so many shots [under pressure],” Webber said. “I was sitting there all anxious and nervous, but you’ve got to put that aside and just focus on the game and that’s what I was trying to do in the third period.”
Coming into Saturday’s game, the 49ers were 1-3-1 with a loss to the Weber State Division II team by five goals. With the win, the Aggies are now 4-3, and have a winning record for the first time this season.
The fans at the game were treated to live music during intermissions by the band Anesty. The band said they will be playing at The Howl and at a Battle of the Bands on campus Nov. 3.
They said they might play at more hockey games.
Maybe Beethoven played hockey when he wasn’t writing music.
With the help of his pre-game Beethoven listening, goalie Josh Groves and the Utah State club hockey team shut out the Eastern Washington Eagles Friday night 6-0.
“I try to stay away from the superstitions and stuff,” Groves said. “I try to keep it routine. I listen to my Beethoven and just bounce my ball [before the game].”
Groves said he knew his defense would keep it on the other end. He was afraid that Eastern Washington would score on a lucky deflection and ruin his shutout.
“But there were none of those tonight so it made it easy to get the shutout,” he said.
Haase scored two goals and assisted another one and Leo added a goal and two assists. Guttormsen also added two assists. Overall, five Aggies scored and seven had at least one assist.
“That’s another good, complete game for us,” Crossley said. “I think we’re on a good track.”
Aggie Scotty John said, “There were times when our team play overall was really good, but I think Groves definitely stepped it up and bailed us out a couple of times.”
John also created a breakaway goal for Burrell in the second period by passing the puck to him and keeping the nearest defender from getting anywhere close to the play.
There was an incident late in the third period after Eagle Powell Gallagher was put in the penalty box for being a seventh man on the ice for Eastern Washington. Gallagher immediately squirted water on heckling fans sitting behind him.
One fan responded by throwing his drink onto Gallagher in the penalty box. Other objects from the fans also found their way into the penalty box.
Loud shouting ensued between Gallagher and the fans before he was ejected for a game misconduct and USU was given a two minute unsportsmanlike penalty – assessed to the fans.
“It would have bothered me if it would have cost us the shutout,” Crossley said. “But it’s understandable I guess.”
-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu