USU club hockey to host final home game of season
In the final game of the season, the Utah State University club hockey team will play rival Weber State University Thursday at 9:30 p.m. in the George S. Eccles Ice Center.
USU has met the Wildcats four times this season, and is leading the series 2-1-1.
The last time the Aggies played the Wildcats was their first game in the new Eccles Ice Center, in which the Aggies came away victorious. Now, both teams will meet again in what will prove to be an even more emotional game, assistant captain Deryk Anderson said.
Not only will Thursday’s game be emotional because it’s the last game of the season, but it will also be the final season game for four players on the team, including Anderson.
“As game time approaches, there’s going to be a lot of emotion,” Anderson said. “It’s my last game as an Aggie, so I don’t want to lose.”
Due to injury, USU will have to win without the help of a few key players. Two of those players are forwards Colby Thurston and Ben Froehle, who will miss because of shoulder injuries.
Monday’s practice looked bare because of all the players who were missing, Anderson said, but the Aggies would rather have players rest up and not play in a season game than miss the national tournament in New York which is at the end of February.
Because of the injuries, USU will be relying even more heavily on their goalies, Anderson said, who have been the Aggies’ biggest asset of the season.
“This is the best all-around goal tending ever at Utah State. We have three really good goalies,” he said.
For the Aggies, there are few things better than playing their last season game at home and especially in front of their home crowd, Anderson said.
“Everyone is so happy with all the fan support,” he said. “It’s great. There’s so much energy in the building.”
Unlike other universities in Utah, USU will have a break from games over the next couple of weeks because of players volunteering for the Olympics. The Aggies are trying to schedule games with junior teams and AAA teams in order to keep in shape for nationals.