Mullane helps Ags beat his former team
In his first meeting against his former team, Utah State goaltender Allesandro Mullane made 42 saves. After a rough opening, the senior rallied and notched 19 saves in the second period alone.
The Aggies beat the San Jose State Spartans 6-4 in the opening game of the Beehive Showcase.
After facing unmatched opponents talent-wise all season long, the Aggies got their first regional test against No. 10 San Jose State. Utah State was led by forward Brian Gibbons, who had two goals and an assist on the night.
“We haven’t played a lot of strong teams,” USU head coach Jon Eccles said. “San Jose is a good team. They haven’t played a lot of strong teams, but they really stepped up.”
Just 45 seconds ticked off the clock before the Aggies scored their first goal. Defenseman Ty Johns took the puck behind the goal and then turned to find freshman Jordan Kerr, who one-timed the puck in to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.
Mullane started slow in goal and allowed three goals in the first — the most he has given up in a single period all season.
The Spartans tied up the score with a goal from top scorer Sam Cimino. Cimino and teammate Lathan Logan went back and forth with the puck before Cimino wound up and scored San Jose’s first goal of the game.
“It was as if we were just going to hit the ice, and then we won the game,” Eccles said.
SJSU got its second goal 10 minutes later when a defensive miscommunication left the puck uncovered in the crease.
Cimino saw the opportunity and gave the Spartans the lead with his second of the game. They scored once more before time ran out. The Aggies went into first intermission trailing for just the second time this season 3-1.
“We put our nose to the grindstone and got at it,” Gibbons said. “We knew we had a garbage first period. We got a couple goals and got out.”
The Aggies’ combination of two of their top point getters — Brian Gibbons and Tyler Mistelbacher — continued their recent success. This time, Gibbons found Mistlebacher open in front of the net to cut the Spartans’ lead to one.
Former San Jose State forward Jeff Sanders scored for Utah State to tie it up with 11 minutes left in the first. Sanders took a fast break straight to the net and faked twice before bouncing the puck off of goalie Micheal Stieninger’s chest.
Sanders then put the rebound in to even the score at 3-3.
Mullane held strong in the net during the period, making huge diving saves on his former team.
“I just remember I made the first save, I lost the puck and my defender saved it on the goal line,” Mullane said. ” I lost my stick. Somehow I hit it out of the air with my hand.”
Aggie freshman Stu Hepburn gave the Aggies their first lead since the opening seconds on a shot that slipped past Stieninger’s skate.
Wasting just 20 seconds in the third, Gibbons scored from the point to give the Aggies a 5-3 lead.
The Spartans cut the lead to one, three minutes later, with a goal from Kyle Dutra, but the Aggies didn’t back down. Forward Matt Hamilton had good opportunities to score, forcing Stieninger to make big saves and keep the Spartans in it.
Gibbons secured the Aggie win with 17 seconds left in the game. Gibbons got his second goal of the game with an unassisted empty-net goal in the final seconds.
The Aggies continue Beehive Showcase action Nov. 18 with a matchup against No. 2-ranked Colorado State.
– meredith.kinney@aggiemail.usu.edu