It was only fitting that Brett Lawrence, the Huskies captain and team
leader had the opportunity to salvage the PAC8 tournament for the
Washington Hockey team, and put away a scrappy Washington State
Cougar team.

Lawrence, when given the opportunity, capitalized.

As the fourth player in the five chosen by coaches Cindy Dayley and Zoë
Harris in the shootout, he was able to fake out pesky WSU goaltender Phil
Durgin and secure third place in the PAC-8 Tournament at Olympic View
Arena last night.

In a game where the Huskies skated out to a quick lead by putting a
power play goal up in the first four minutes of the game, the rest of the
goals would come slowly for both teams in a defensive struggle.

“We were emotionally drained from last night,” said Dayley, speaking of
the disheartening 4-1 loss suffered to Cal the night before.

Washington State was sluggish itself, after a hard fought contest with
USC the night before, a game in which they held the lead for some time in
the opening moments of the game.

“I told these guys that this game is for pride,” said Dayley.

Husky forward Sean O’Brien would get the scoring started for the Huskies,
as his blue line blast during the first power play of the night found the
back of the net. The puck was seamlessly moved from Brett Lawrence and
Shayne Sasseen, and things looked good for the Dawgs from the get go.

The Huskies, despite the apparent momentum that was generated by the
early goal, wouldn’t find the back of the net again until the waning
moments of the third period.

Washington State would finally bring the game to a tie in the second
period, as Harrow was beat low stick side that knotted the contest at one
a piece. The Cougars would later take the lead midway in the third
courtesy of Ed Mancebo, and send the Huskies back on their heels.

Despite the one goal lead that the Cougars had in the third period, it was
the outstanding play of Durgin that kept them in the game. Constantly
fending off shot after shot sent in by the Husky Hockey skaters, he was a
menace in the crease that couldn’t be stopped.

That is until Jamie O’Brien, brother of Sean, decided the best way may be
to come straight at Durgin, with his shot first and then his body.

Single handedly shredding the seemingly solid Cougar D, Jamie O’Brien
was able to push the puck over the crease and tie the game with six
minutes remaining, breathing life into a dead Husky offense.

With equal scoring opportunities for both teams in the remaining six
minutes, the game proceeded to a sudden-death, five minute over time
that resulted in the same score of two a piece.

A three-minute break was taken as each coaching staff submitted their
five players for the shootout, which would decide the game. After the first
round of shots, with the Cougars scoring as well as Jamie O’Brien for the
Huskies with a nifty fake move, the momentum shifted to the Dawgs with
the first save of the shootout made by Matt Harrow. Harrow was able to
keep Matt Olsen out of the goal and give the Huskies the advantage. On
the ensuing shot by Sean O’Brien, he was able to put it past Durgin again
and give the Huskies the one goal advantage.

Washington would score again, courtesy of senior Shayne Sasseen after
another Cougar was turned away by Harrow. Ed Manecebo of WSU, their
fourth skater would tag on a goal, but it would require that Brett
Lawrence miss his shootout shot for the contest to continue.

He wouldn’t miss.

“I am glad that Brett had the opportunity to score and win the game for
the team. It’s a suitable ending for a fantastic four-year career, and as his
last act wearing a Husky sweater,” said Coach Harris.

Piling onto the ice as the Husky fans went wild and the Cougars dropped
their heads, the Husky Hockey team celebrated the exciting victory.
Moments later while the teams accepted their awards, an applause was
heard congratulating both teams for a well-played game.