Hockey rains down punches and goals as USU tops BSU
Coming off a loss to Eastern Washington last weekend, the Utah State hockey team looked to rebound with a pair of wins this weekend. On Friday, the Aggies hosted the Boise State Broncos before traveling to the University of Utah on Saturday.
In their first home game since winter break, the Aggies came out strong and proved to be too much for the Broncos to handle. They took control from the first period and carried their momentum to a 15-2 victory.
The Aggies’ first goal came on a Boise State power play when USU’s Billy Guothro scored from in front of the net 4:44 into the first. He scored his second shorthanded goal just 13 seconds later. Utah State’s Jay McFadden was the next Aggie to score, burying a bullet of a pass from Rylee Orr at the 11:03 mark.
The Aggies scoring streak continued with goals from Matt Hamilton, Kent Arsenault, and Brendan MacDonald before Boise State got on the board with a goal with 26 seconds left in the period.
USU coach Jon Eccles said he was proud of how his veterans played in the first period. “Tonight our blue line jumped on Boise,” he said. “The team leaders really stepped up and the rest of the players followed them.”
Utah State’s quick scoring continued into the second when Arsenault drilled his second goal into the back of the net just 1:29 into the period. After that goal neither team scored until Guothro netted his third goal, sending hats onto the ice.
Just more than a minute later the Aggies’ Tyler Mistelbacher added his first goal of the night to the growing score. Less than minute later Arsenault got his hat-trick off assists from Guothro and Hamilton.
After that goal, Boise State pulled their goalie. The move didn’t help, however, as Jeremy Madigan scored only 32 seconds later.
Utah State’s Ty Johns took an assist from Dave Wyman and scored his first goal 8:45 into the period and Mistelbacher scored two consecutive goals for the third hat-trick of the night.
The third period got off to a slow start until McFadden dropped his gloves against Boise State’s Clark Gaynor. Both Gaynor and McFadden were issued game misconducts and suspended from their next game.
Nine seconds later, Wyman had his turn in the ring when he took on Devon Harris. They were also both given game misconducts and suspensions. A goal from MacDonald and a desperation goal from Boise State’s Jerrod Hergishmer finished out the game.
Utah State’s performance against Boise State something the Aggies are hoping is a sign of good things to come.
“We just have to keep skating, doing little things right,” Guothro said. “We’re going to be battling out there.”
As the Aggies continue to get healthier, they look to continue with this energy. Goalie Bryce Scherschel returned to the ice for USU, making 28 saves in his first game back from injury.
If there was one way to improve from this game it may be the amount of time the Aggies spent in the penalty box. Penalties have plagued the Aggies all season. According to Arsenault, this has been on the team’s mind.
“We’ve talked about it through and through,” he said. “It’s unnecessary but it’s something that has been happening a lot.”
Saturday night found the Aggies traveling to Salt Lake to face the Utah Utes. Again, the Aggies came out on top with a 3-0 victory. The shutout victory for Scherschel in net was the first of his career in ACHA play.
Utah State’s three goals were scored by Johns, Guothro and Chase Allington, but that was not the story of the game. The Aggies started the game without three of their veterans, McFadden, Wyman and Jeremy Martin, who were all serving suspensions from previous games.
“It was one of those games that’s an ugly win,” Eccles said. “I’m really proud of our bench who really stepped up.”
Despite being shorthanded from the 11-minute mark in the third period on the Aggie bench pulled together and held on for the win.
The Aggies improved to 30-5-1 on the season. They will return to the ice next Friday when the travel to Provo to play BYU and then return to Logan take on the Cougars again at home on Saturday.
– meredith.kinney@aggiemail.usu.edu