Hockey: Utah State locked and loaded
Utah State’s club hockey team started the season off with a 3-1 victory over Weber State on Friday. For the Aggies, this is the first step on the road back to the American Club Hockey Association National Tournament.
“We should be at nationals again, there’s no doubt in my mind,” said head coach Jon Eccles. “With the talent that we have and the way the team is coming together, we should be there.”
It’s not just the coach who thinks the Aggies should be repeating last season’s success.
“We will get back to nationals,” said Aggie captain Brian Gibbons. “It’ll be tough just like last year. We have the skill and the talent, so I feel that it’s a no-brainer for us right now.”
While a lot of solid players return for the Aggies, losing offensive juggernauts Brendan MacDonald and Tyler Mistelbacher leads to high expectations to the newcomers.
“The guys we brought in this year are going to do more than fill those shoes,” Eccles said.
And while the Aggies might not see the large offensive output by individual players, the scoring could be spread out quite a bit by getting multiple players involved.
“I see two lines that are very capable of putting the puck in the net every game,” Eccles said. “If one line might be struggling, I see the other line picking it up. Even the third line has potential.”
Although scoring is a question mark, the Aggies see the return of three of their top five defensemen from last year in Ty Johns, Jordan Kerr and Sean Erwin.
“We have a lot of good talent on this team,” said winger Ian Beckstrom.
When MacDonald left the team, Brian Gibbons was the natural choice to replace him as captain.
“He’s an example on the ice and off the ice,” Eccles said.
As new captain, Gibbons said he knows he has extra work to do.
“I feel a lot of responsibility, but I also feel that I have a lot of help from the returning guys,” Gibbons said. “A little bit of pressure and a little bit of responsibility, but it comes with the territory.”
And as a leader on this Aggie team, Gibbons has one thing on his mind.
“I don’t have any personal goals,” Gibbons said. “I just want to make sure we get back to nationals this year.”
While there are plenty of new faces on this squad, there is one very key difference in Eccles’ eyes.
“This year, these guys are so much more focused and on the same page,” Eccles said. “I believe the guys we brought in are very disciplined, hard-working and excited. I’m excited to see these guys play.”
There may be fans who wonder if this could be a down year with all the new faces on the team, but Eccles feels confident.
“Utah State is not rebuilding, but we reloaded,” Eccles said.
Beckstrom said the Aggie team is ready to prove their coach right.
“The sooner I can get out on the ice, the better,” Beckstrom said.
The Aggies’ home-opener will be on Thursday, Oct. 18 against Arizona State at the Eccles Ice Center in Smithfield, Utah.
– sean.osullivan@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @Seansy89