Brad Hajner scored to tie the game 3-3 against Utah State University.

The only thing missing from Friday’s loss to Utah State University was
goals, as the Huskies were able to get the shots but not finish off USU
goalie Chris Webber. In the second game of the series Saturday night,
the goals were there but a controversial late penalty severely hindered
the Dawgs chances of tying the game, as they dropped their second
consecutive game 5-4.

The high-sticking call against defender Michael Spector, called with under
two minutes left in the third, kept the Huskies from keeping the puck in
the Utah State University’s zone so Husky goalie Matt Harrow could be
pulled to give the Dawgs another skater. The late call took the wind out
of the Huskies sails and could only watch the clock tick down to defeat.

“Out of diversity grows champions,” said head coach Cindy Dayley after
the defeat, “they know that they can win.”

The Dawgs, like in game one, found themselves facing this diversity
quickly. With two minutes gone in the first, USU forward Nick Thiros quickly
put the Aggies on top as Thiros collected a pass from Aaron Burrell for a
quick give and go one-timer that caught every Husky skater off guard.

The quick goal shook the Husky skaters, as they played on their heels for
the first fifteen minutes of the first, being out hustled, out skated and just
doing whatever they could to turn away waves of Aggies attacks.

The Utah State Organization would score once again, with Burrell getting
the goal as UW’s Harrow sprawled on the ice to stop the flurry of shots
that the Aggies were putting on goal.

Once again, like in the first game of the series, the Dawgs didn’t concede
defeat so quickly. The Husky Hockey team fought for momentum going
into the second, and they found it in the form of a power play goal
courtesy of Sean O’Brien. Taking a Brett Lawrence pass from behind net,
he tucked the puck away top shelf on USU goaltender Josh Groves. The
goal gave the Huskies some momentum going into the second period,
only down by one goal.

The Aggies would add another in the opening moments of the second
period, with Hashimoto sniping Matt Harrow from long distance, ringing
the post upper right and lighting the lamp. With the two-goal advantage,
the Dawgs would storm back to tie by the 11th minute in the second.

UW defender TJ Anderson would give the Dawgs their second goal
courtesy of a rush in and the wraparound goal, and first-year Husky
Hockey Junior Brad Hajner of Las Vegas would put a wrist shot top shelf
on Groves and even the score.

Just as fast as the Dawgs found themselves back in the game, the Aggies
would tack on two goals in a minute, as Parker Richards of USU and Aaron
Burrell of the Aggies would give the Utah State University another two
goal lead and the advantage going into the final stanza.

In the third, the Dawgs tried to capitalize on power play opportunities
presented to them to bring them within a goal. They would finally get the
goal they needed with nine minutes left, as Jamie O’Brien would collect a
sweet pass from Brett Lawrence and put the puck in it’s place, beating a
severely out of position Groves and cut the deficit in half.

The Huskies scrapped and scrapped, but the Spector penalty was only
seconds away, and that would steal any chance the Dawgs might have
had at attempting to tie the game.

With that loss, the Dawgs head into the Christmas break with a small two
game losing streak, but the Huskies have every reason to hold their
heads high. The Dawgs only took four less shots than the Aggies, and
were in both games against the #4 ranked Utah State Aggies until the
waning moments of each game.

Only one bit of advice was given to the Dawgs as they entered the
Christmas break by Coach Dayley, “I hope they skate and don’t eat too
much holiday dinner.”