Last game at Eccles for Winsa, John is Aggie win
One solid period provided enough offense for the Aggies to beat Utah, 6-3, in the final home game of the season. It was the last game in the Eccles Ice Arena for senior William Winsa and four-year captain Scotty John.
USU was missing five key players: Goalie Greg Finatti, forward Robert Sutherland, and the entire Blue Line of Kent Arsenault, Matt Geer and Brendan MacDonald were in Las Vegas playing in a tournament. Lacking key point scorers, the Ags were up only 1-0 after the first period, thanks to a Paul Reinhardt long-range wrist shot. Perhaps the Utes were thinking upset at that point, but USU owned the second period. Winsa was dominant, playing inspired hockey with a contingent of former teammates from Sweden looking on. Michael Filander, who played for USU last year, made the trip to support Winsa and fly a Swedish flag in the stands.
Before the second period began, an observer told Winsa’s linemate Jay McFadden to score a hat trick. McFadden replied, “I’m thinking about it. I think I will.” Twenty minutes later, McFadden had his hat trick, and Winsa had three assists and a goal of his own. Winsa seemed to be trying to squeeze everything out of his final game on Aggie Ice, shooting the puck nearly every time he got it and trying out some showtime moves like a behind-the-back baseball swing at an airborne puck. Justin Lupton provided USU’s sixth goal.
Besides McFadden’s called hat trick and Winsa’s dominance, the second period was notable for the fight USU’s Spencer Hickenlooper and a Utah skater. Hickenlooper was “waiting on the doorstep” for a rebound when the Ute got a little overprotective of his goalie, and seconds later, equipment was hitting the ice and punches were flying.
“It’s good they’re getting some intensity for their program,” Hickenlooper said.
Utah spent much of the third period on the power play and scored a PP goal with seven seconds left but never threatened USU even though the Aggies stopped scoring after the second.
“It’s just been awesome, that’s all I can say,” Winsa said afterward, in the midst of a raucous celebratory atmosphere outside the Aggie locker room. Commenting on his aggressive play, Winsa said, “I tried to get a couple goals. I got one at least. We had fun out there.”
The heart and soul of USU hockey since Aaron Burrell left has been John. He said it hadn’t sunk in yet that everything he did Friday night, it was the last time he would be doing it.
“It’s unreal. I can’t recap right now everything it’s been. It’s something to be proud of,” John said of his long career. “Most importantly, it’s the boys. The road trips, the camaraderie.”
-graham.terry@aggiemail.usu.edu