Saturday, February 8th, 2003

Sean O'Brien (left) ties the game with 1:47 left in the game.
Photograph by Leanne Burkle

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE – After winning the I-5 Cup the previous night, the
Huskies were ready for a final regular season battle against the Ducks.
But tonight, the luck fell into the grasping hands of the University of
Oregon, as the Ducks won in an overtime shootout, 5-4.

Washington took quick control of the game within the first half of the first
period. Defenseman TJ Anderson shot the puck behind the goalie’s back
to open up the scoring window. Anderson was assisted by center Brett
Lawrence. Five minutes later, Shayne Sasseen, another defenseman took
a second goal during a power play opportunity. Sasseen was also
assisted by Brett Lawrence and Shaun Lawrence. Tonight, Washington
also succeeded in shutting down the two power play advantages the
Ducks had in their grasp. The Huskies’ 15 shots to the Ducks’ six paid off
in the first.

However, the second period was all Oregon. The Ducks took 14 shots to
Washington’s nine, one of the first attempts earning Oregon’s first goal at
1:24 into the second period. The Huskies were offered three power play
events, but the Duck’s defense was in full strength successfully shutting
down the Washington attempts. A roughing penalty called against the
Huskies ended in Oregon’s scoring a second goal on a power play
advantage to tie the game at 2-2.

“We played Jeckle and Hyde hockey,” said assistant Washington coach
Zoë Harris. “We need to find our consistent game, and that is what we
will be doing in the next couple of weeks.”

In the third period, the Ducks once more outshot Washington by three,
but the Husky accuracy helped the team to remain equal with Oregon.
With six minutes left in the game, the Ducks celebrated a third goal that
slid just inside the front corner of the Washington net, giving Oregon their
first lead of the game. The Huskies struggled to answer the Ducks’ goal
and finally succeeded with 1:47 left in the game when Sean O’Brien
scored on Washington’s final power play attempt to tie the game at 3-3.
The game ended in a tie leading to the Huskies’ first overtime shootout of
the season.

“For a goaltender a shootout is the most bipolar experience imaginable,”
said freshman goalie Matt Harrow. “Losing is the biggest blow possible
while a win can lift you to new heights.”

The first Duck goal slid by Harrow, but he accomplished in stopping the
second Oregon shooter. Meanwhile, the first two Huskies were unable to
chalk a goal up on the score board, putting further pressure on their
goalie and following shooters. The third Duck shooter also acquired a goal
against the Husky goalie, moving Oregon into a 5-3 lead. Washington’s
Brett Lawrence stepped on the ice and snuck the puck past the goalie to
move the Huskies within one. Although Harrow completed the shootout by
blocking the remaining Oregon shooters, the Huskies came up short in the
end.

“When I heard we where doing a shootout I was excited,” Harrow said.
“That’s the kind of pressure situation that I thrive on and with
breakaways I feel total confidence. But unfortunately things didn’t turn
out all that well.”

The Ducks took the win away from Washington in their final home game,
5-4. The Huskies end the regular season 9-3 in the PAC-8 Conference and
13-11-1 overall. The Huskies will now prepare for the PAC-8 tournament
that will take place in Anaheim on February 21 and 22.

Box Score
Final Score – UO 5, UW 4

Period 1 –
Scoring: 1, UW, Anderson (B. Lawrence), 17:32; 2, UW, Sasseen (B.
Lawrence, S. Lawrence), 12:35.
Penalties: Washburn, UO (slash), 15:39; T. Martin, UO (slash), 14:07;
Shigetani, UW (rough), 8:55; Savage, UW (hold), :47; S. O’Brien, UW
(rough), :00; Keeland, UO (rough), :00.

Period 2 –
Scoring: 3, UO, Kenworthy (Tornabene, Howard), 18:36; 4, UO, Howard
(Tornabene, Ackerman), 6:19. Penalties: Ackerman, UO (cross-check),
15:16; Anderson, UW (interference), 12:40; Vogel, UO (interference),
11:41; Howard, UO (high stick), 10:35; Troyke, UW (rough), 6:49; Vogel,
UO (rough), 6:49; Anderson, UW (rough/unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:36;
S. Lawrence, UW (rough), :36; Washburn, UO (rough), :36.

Period 3 –
Scoring: 5, UO, Tornabene (Howard, Vogel), 6:04; 6, UW, S. O’Brien (B.
Lawrence), 1:47.
Penalties: Washburn, UO (hold), 17:59; Walters, UW (cross-check), 15:39;
Tornabene, UO (hold), 14:47; King, UO (cross-check/unsportsmanlike
conduct), 5:11.

OT (Shoot Out) – 7, UO, Howard; 8. UO, Tornabene; 9, UW, B. Lawrence.

Shots on Net
UW – 15, 9, 8 – 32
UO – 6, 14, 11 – 31

Goaltender Saves
UW – Matt Harrow – 6, 12, 10 – 28
UO – Joe Fagliano – 13, 9, 7 – 29

Power Play results
UW – 2 for 6
UO – 1 for 5