Ice-Ags Throttle Icecats

The Utah State Hockey team has said time and time again that every win is vital for any chances at an invitation to nationals. With six wins in a row, the Aggie's chances have to be looking pretty good...

Tyler Riggs photos

The Utah State hockey team won its sixth game in a row with an 8-2 victory over the BYU Icecats Thursday night at the Eccles Ice Center.

The game played before a crowd of approximately 1,000 people was a virtual penalty-fest, resembling the rival's last meeting earlier this month where the Aggies came out victorious 6-2.

 

The Aggies got off to a quick start in the first period, building a 4-0 lead behind goals from Aaron Burrell, Aaron Sutliff, Robert Hashimoto and Nick Thiros.

Freshman goalie Josh Groves only allowed two defensive lapses in the second period when BYU's Dan Harker scored twice in a 2:17 time period.  The same type of scoring happened to Groves and the Aggies in their last meeting with BYU, when BYU found net twice in a :30 period, but not again for the rest of the game. The game was Groves' first in front of the net for the Aggies.

 

The Aggies found the back of the net three times in the second period as Paul Amidon, Burrell and Mike Lewandowski scored.  Roberto Leo capped off the Aggies' eight goal night with a score at 18:02 in the third.

The Aggies will now look towards a game against Eastern Washington, Saturday night at 7:30 at the Eccles Ice Center.

Random Information:

The Valley Channel (Channel 12) broadcast the USU/BYU hockey game live to residents of Cache Valley, replays of the game will periodically be shown on the station.

According to Eric Olsen of the Valley Channel, the Feb. 7 game against Colorado State and the Feb. 14 game against Weber State will also be broadcast live.

BYU's Justin Pehrson lost control of his emotions late in the game after the P.A. announcer apparantly misread his name. Pehrson started squirting the people in the press box with his water bottle while in the penalty box and then threw his water bottle onto the ice.  He received a game misconduct penalty and was ejected from the game.

Scoring Information:

USU: 1st - 14:22 - Aaron Burrell goal, Colby Thurston assist

USU 1st - 11:26 - Aaron Sutliff goal

USU 1st - 6:29 - Robert Hashimoto goal

USU 1st - 1:55 - Nick Thiros goal, Aaron Burrell assist

USU 2nd - 16:12 - Paul Amidon goal, Aaron Burrell, Nick Thiros assists

USU 2nd - 12:57 - Aaron Burrell goal, Paul Amidon assist

BYU 2nd - 11:17 - Dan Harker goal

BYU 2nd - 9:00 - Dan Harker goal, Jim Burkhardy assist

USU 2nd - 3:29 - Mike Lewandowski goal, Roberto Leo, Nate Pierce assists

USU 3rd - 18:02 - Roberto Leo goal, Mike Lewandowski, Ben Froehle assists