Fight On & Goodbye for Now

This post has been a long time coming. I've avoided writing it and procrastinated until I knew it would be written as something official and more set in stone. I didn't want to say goodbye only to turn around and have it be less final and more awkward.

For those of you who don't know, I was recently hired and have started working as an on-air reporter with WILX-TV in Lansing, MI. The last couple of weeks have been crazy in that I've essentially moved my entire life from Southern California out here in the span of a few days. The reality is still sinking in, but it's a thrill to actually be getting paid to work as a journalist.

But if there's one thing I'm going to miss about USC and my college experience more than anything, it's my time covering and being a part of this team.

When I first came to USC from Santa Fe, I wasn't sure what to expect from the organization. I fired off an email to the general team address to the effect of: I'd like to do play-by-play, public address or whatever you need.

It didn't take long for that email to turn into a 4-year labor of love (hopefully mutual) between myself and the team. I've enjoyed calling the games, even when they started at 11:45 at night or required a multi-state bus trip to get to. Every rush-hour trip to Anaheim Ice was worth it, no exceptions. I witnessed the slow collapse of the program followed by the amazing speed in which the team successfully rebuilt itself into champions. USC Football could learn a lot from this team... especially about fighting on through adversity that's out of your hands.

The primary reason for this post isn't just to say goodbye but also to say thanks, and there's plenty of people deserving of gratitude.

There's no better group to start with than the parents. Without you, there would be no point to broadcasting the games because nobody would care to listen. You are the true superfans of this team and meeting and speaking with you either through the forums or in person was one of the great perks of my job. To the Ernsts, thank you for all of the great pictures! They added so much to the blog over the last season. To Tom Gawlik, thank you for being the most active message board contributor. It always helped to see physical evidence that someone was listening. To the one and only Dante Sr., thank you for your dedication. It was always a pleasure to see you either at home games or on the road. To the Lewis's, thank you for providing pictures for my words. Jeff, it was always a pleasure looking at replays of controversial plays. To the McClanathans, thank you for being my pseudo-parents and making home games that much better with your enthusiasm. Special thanks to Elaine for trying to set me up on a date. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but hopefully this gives everyone a sense of how wonderful this group was.

Of course there are the players to thank. There's no better place to start than everyone on last year's roster, if only because they sent me and the other seniors out on the highest note there is. I still can't believe you guys hung a banner this year. Simply unbelievable. To Butters (aka Max Szentveri), thanks for always providing material for epic stories (in Seattle, Colorado, China... you don't need specifics I'm sure). To Dante Caravaggio, thanks for always caring and bringing passion to the ice every night. You are one of the fiercest competitors out there and that's exactly how it should be. To Clark McClanathan, thank you for being the heart and soul of the team. Your love of the game was evident in how you played and there's a reason I was always a little biased. To Jonathan Stallsmith, thanks for being one of the hardest workers I've ever known. Riding to Anaheim with you and Foley arguing about, well, everything, made every trip a breeze. To the team as a whole, thanks for treating me as part of the squad even though I never wore a jersey on my back. It truly meant a lot.

The other staff members were also a joy to work with. To Mike Locke, thanks for giving the stadium your booming voice. It wouldn't sound right in Anaheim Ice without you behind the mic. To Nicole Vierzba, thanks for making sure every event was worth attending. To Johnny Nguyen, thanks for going above and beyond to take this team to the next level. The effort looks like it's paying off and I'm just sad I won't be around to see all of the great changes you're bringing to the program. To Cindy Bailey, thanks for being both a lifesaver. I don't think I could've made it through the whole eye situation without you. To Coach Jeff Langille, thanks for everything and I can't wait to see how you'll take the team to new heights. To Mark Wilbur, thanks for being a great interviewee and a better friend. I can't tell you how much your support of myself and the broadcast meant over the years. I appreciate that you were always honest and up front about the team and never hid behind the typical clichéd quotes coaches always use to avoid being interesting. It was a pleasure getting to know you and your wonderful family. I'm going to miss the swagger you brought to the bench and the winning attitude you instilled in the team night after night. You are a big part of what makes USC Ice Hockey so special and I hope you never leave the program behind.

Finally, I have to thank the two broadcasters I worked with predominantly during my time at USC. To Andrew Samel, thanks for shouldering the driving load, even if it meant getting us lost sometimes. To Dave Foley, thanks for being a great mentor and friend to me. I would've loved nothing more than to hear your call of the championship winning goal. It was a true pleasure doing games with you and I enjoyed our on-air chemistry. I can't wait to hear clips of you calling hockey in Atlanta. That city won't know what hit it. You're the man and I'm looking forward to the day when you get called up to the NHL.

If I left anyone out, I'm sorry.

I have loved my time during these last four seasons broadcasting and writing about this team. It's been a true joy. My only regret is that I didn't leave with a successor in place. My fondest hope is that someone steps in and continues calling the games. I wish I could address the future of this blog and the broadcast, but I'm honestly in the dark at this point. I'm a little ashamed to leave things in that state. Hopefully someone grabs the torch. They'll have the time of their lives. I know that because I did.

Thanks again to this program. I can't repeat enough how great it was being a part of this organization and I will be following along as the team defends their title.

For the last time in this position, but only for now....

Have a great night and Fight On!

Sincerely,
Alex

End of an Era: Mark Wilbur Resigns After 17 Years as Head Coach

UPDATE: Check out my full ATVN interview with Wilbur.

UPDATE II: The official press release is here.

Eight championships. Twelve Crosstown Cups. That is the measurable impact of the Mark Wilbur era.

Swagger. A winning culture. International exposure. That is the immeasurable, but undeniable, impact Mark Wilbur has had on this program.

Wilbur made the announcement Wednesday that he was resigning as head coach before an assembled group of players at the team's house. He cited mostly family reasons for the move. Wilbur has two daughters, one of whom is entering high school. Also leaving his position is assistant coach Manny Ramirez. He and Coach Wilbur are, according to Ramirez, a package deal.

Although Wilbur is stepping down, he is not stepping out. Wilbur is moving from behind the bench as coach to the stands as the team's new general manager. That means things like travel arrangements, arena deals, equipment deals and recruiting are not in jeopardy going forward. Wilbur said he was excited about the opportunity to advance the organization in areas he didn't have time for previously.

Wilbur's likely replacement is Assistant Coach Jeff Langille. In addition to having three years experience on Wilbur's staff, Langille was the top goaltender for two championship teams (2002 and 2003). Not surprisingly given his background, Langille coached the defense. He was also the acting head coach for a good chunk of the regular season contests this past season, including the ASU road trip that sparked a turnaround last semester.

BREAKING NEWS: Champion's Cup Finally Returned to USC

The Cup was mailed to Coach Mark Wilbur. It came with no note and no apology. Still no comment from or communication with Oregon themselves. At least the trophy is with its rightful holders now.

USC Press Release on Oregon Running Off With the Championship Cup

University of Oregon Out of Class; Ducks Nesting on USC's PAC 8 Hockey Championship Trophy

Breach of tradition and sportsmanship mar underdog victory of USC Trojan Hockey victory of 2010 PAC 8 Hockey Tournament

LOS ANGELES (February 26, 2010) -In a breach of conduct, tradition, and sportsmanship, the University of Oregon has failed to give the perpetual PAC 8 Hockey "Championship Cup" to the current title holders, the University of Southern California (USC).

Fifth-ranked USC came from an underdog position in the tournament to defeat #4 UCLA (preliminary game), then #1 University of Oregon (semi-final), and #2 University of Washington (championship game) and capture the PAC 8 Championship February 20.

The University of Oregon had dominated the PAC 8 this season winning 14 of its 16 league games and had won the PAC 8 tournament the previous two years. USC Head Coach Mark Wilbur commented on the lack of a cup at last week's awards presentation, " The absence of sportsmanship in a sport that cherishes its traditions leaves me speechless. It hurts the students, players, the fans, UO, and the league."

The University of Oregon has not issued any communication to USC or the PAC 8 league to inform them of when they should expect the trophy delivered to the winners, nor an apology for failing to bring the perpetual cup to last week's tournament. Wilbur noted the lack of accountability and leadership from the University of Oregon Duck team, "It's pathetic...grow up and face the classless act and apologize publicly to the league and the team. Forget our seven previous championships - for this year's team, it's their first! I never thought I would witness such a class-less act at this level."

USC's last tournament win was in 2007. For many of their players, this was their first championship victory.

When asked what the team would do when the trophy arrives, coach Wilbur said, "What else, throw another victory party! Maybe we should thank them for giving cause to celebrate again. But, that doesn't replace that moment stolen from my players and our fans."

The King Has Returned: USC Comes Back to Win 8th Pac-8 Title 5-4 Over Washington

Hey everyone,

To tell the story of USC Ice Hockey this season, some numbers matter and some numbers simply do not. Numbers that don't matter: 9-19 (regular season record), 5-8 (Pac-8 record), 6-4 (score of Crosstown Cup Game #5), #5 (USC's seed in the Pac-8 tournament), and 4 (the losing streak the Trojans entered the tournament on). Numbers that do matter: 3-0 (Pac-8 tournament record), 12.6 (seconds remaining when the championship was won), 21 (Ryder Fyrwald's number), 5-4 (the final score), and 8 (Pac-8 championships in 15 years it's been awarded). Before the game, Coach Wilbur told his team: "Those banners on the wall aren't yours. If you want a damn banner, go out and get one." Here's how they did just that:

Period 1

The one flaw of this weekend has been the first period for the Trojans. UCLA and Oregon both drew first blood around 3 and a half minutes into the game. This one was no different. The Huskies David Schulman sent a low slap shot from the blue line on net. It deflected off of Schauffhausen and slid between goaltender Phil Adams legs and just across the line. Not a great goal to allow. But the Trojans answered back with a familiar face doing the damage. Alex Lofthus grabbed the puck from a corner scrum and circled into a scoring position at the inside edge of the left faceoff circle. His first try was blocked, but the second one was on goal. Washington goaltender Danny Dougan kept it out, but parked on the doorstep was Ryder Fyrwald. The goal was Fyrwald's 6th goal of the tournament (officially 4th), and tied the game. The Huskies were unfazed despite a bit of lackluster play overall by their squad. Daniel Carson held the puck at the near point and fired at goal. Jordan Chernesky was sitting just off of the paint by the near post and sent a perfect redirection past Adams. A dagger of a goal came in the late stages of the 1st. Dan Herda muscled his way down the right wing boards and into the corner with Justin O'Neill draped all over him. Herda won the battle and passed it to All-Pac-8 forward Corey James. A one-timed slapshot later, and the Huskies doubled their lead to 3-1 with just 3.7 seconds remaining in the period.

Period 2

But USC had outplayed the Huskies in the first, they had only a two-goal deficit to show for it. Washington stepped up their game a bit in the second, but the Trojans didn't let their foot off of the accelerator. As the period wound down, Nick Helmer and Noah Comisar almost used that momentum and crowd to their advantage. They broke in 2-on-1. Helmer passed it backdoor for Comisar. The Texas product had an empty net to shoot at, but his one-time try clanged the crossbar, came straight down and bounced out. USC was undeterred. After an aggressive try to jar the puck loose following another Dougan save, Clark McClanathan and Bryce Johnson received matching minors. McClanathan demanded noise from the crowd with emphatic hand motions and it came from the packed pro-USC crowd. A "U-S-C, U-S-C" chant filled the building and the energy lifted the Trojan bench. USC's bench stood as a unit for the remainder of the game, the Huskies bench was quiet and reserved. You'd have never known that Washington had a 2-goal advantage. They had a look on their face like something bad was about to happen. Following a monumental penalty, something bad did happen to the Huskies on the 4-on-3. USC sent out 3 forwards and a defenseman with a late change. It paid immediate dividends. The draw was won back and passed to Fyrwald. The forward found Helmer with a cross-ice pass to the high slot. Helmer wristed the puck into the top of the net to slash the Huskies lead. 3-2 after two periods.

2nd Intermission

I never write about intermission speeches except in summary, but this one will go down in USC Ice Hockey history as perhaps its great coaching moment. Players told me later that it was the best speech that they'd ever heard in their playing careers. In the locker room, Coach Mark Wilbur got the team down on one knee and told them to close their eyes. What follows below is a rough transcription of what he said next (if I can get the exact quote from Wilbur I will):

Boys, here's what's going to happen. You're going to leave this locker room and tie the game up. But that won't be enough. They will score another goal. You're going to need to score another one to tie it again. And then you know what's going to happen next? You're going to go out there and TEAR THEIR (expletive)-ING HEARTS OUT!



Period 3

And wouldn't you know it, that's exactly how it happened. Five minutes into the period Adams left a puck for captain Mike Gawlik who sent an outlet pass up-ice for Fyrwald. He entered the zone left wing and swung across the offensive zone to the top of the far faceoff circle. His wrist shot fluttered following a deflection by Daniel Carson and found its way into the top half of the net. Tie hockey game. Fyrwald nearly gave USC the lead on a rush with Adam Zacuto, but he clanged the crossbar again. That miss gave the Huskies a small amount of momentum back. Alex Lofthus took a penalty midway through the period and, to Wilbur's script, Washington cashed in on the powerplay. After a scramble save, Adams fell down and out. James circled from behind the net like a hawk and got a good look at goal. He snapped a puck at Adams, who tried to pop up and stop it, but it was no use. 4-3 Washington and the Huskies had just a half of a period left to taste their first Pac-8 title. However that night was going to be a Hollywood ending, not a Seattle one. Senior Cory Adler won a draw deep in Washington's zone over to Nick Helmer. The freshman from Minnetonka did the rest. He undressed the lone Huskie defenseman and glided to the near side post with the puck on his backhand. Helmer capped the move by roofing the backhand just below the crossbar to tie the game once more with just shy of 6 minutes left. Dougan snapped his stick on the goal post in frustration. Next goal was going to win the championship. With 24 seconds remaining, Dante Caravaggio missed Lofthus on a long breakout pass for a potentially costly icing call. The draw came to Adams' right and the Huskies won it over to Corey James. For an instant it looked like the deadly Washington forward would wrist the puck home. Jason Bush had other ideas. He came across the ice to poke the puck away with a desperation effort. It came loose to Lofthus. The speedy junior grabbed the rubber and skated hard down the left wing boards. Huskie blueliner Bryce Johnson skated towards the boards to try and cut Lofthus off and got a piece of the Trojan forward. He didn't get nearly enough. Lofthus shrugged off Johnson, kept his feet moving and pulled away off of the boards in towards the left faceoff circle. He threw the puck in front to Ryder Fyrwald who was crashing the net. Fyrwald reached out his stick and pushed it triumphantly into the back of the cage. 12.6 seconds left on the clock. Anaheim Ice exploded into what was the loudest sounding cheer I've ever heard. The whole team jumped up and down and Wilbur turned beet red, he pumped his fist and pointed to the crowd. Bryce Johnson collapsed with his head and his heart in his hands. Fyrwald and Lofthus had just ripped the life out of the Huskies. The game's remaining 12.6 seconds were inconsequential but sweet nonetheless. UW never came close to getting a shot off. When the clock hit all 0's, USC was the champions for the 8th time and the party was on.

Postgame

The dogpile hit Adams moments later and sticks and gloves littered the rink surface. Fans streamed onto the ice before management kicked them off. After things settled down and the handshakes were over, captain Michael Gawlik lifted the championship trophy high. Fyrwald received the MVP plaque for his 8 goal (officially 6) performance. As the team got ready to head to the locker room to continue celebrating, the referees initially directed USC to the rink door at the other end of the ice, away from a loving mob of fans ready to welcome them off the ice. Pac-8 executive director Chris Soriano intervened and USC made the happiest walk back to the locker room of their playing careers, through the excited throng of Trojan fans. One particularly sour note was the missing Champion's Cup, the Pac-8's version of the Stanley Cup. In an utterly classless move by the Oregon Ducks and sheer incompetence by league staff, the trophy was nowhere to be found. It was either on the bus with Oregon as the dethroned defending champions limped home to Eugene with their tail between their legs or was never at the tournament at all in a show of immense arrogance by the top-seeded Ducks. Either way, an unthinkable mistake by the league and a horrendous show of sportsmanship. But even that couldn't dampen Trojan spirits and the exuberant celebration echoed on and on.



Some news and notes from the game:

- In the 6 games Ryder Fyrwald played this season, USC was 5-1. Fyrwald scored 11 goals in those contests. He had an unofficial hat trick in the semifinals and an official one in the championship. Can you imagine how different the season would've been with the talented junior playing full time? Another fun fact. Fyrwald's performance in the title game was on the day before his birthday.

- USC outplayed the Washington nearly the whole contest. They fed off of the energy in the building. Some unfortunate bounces added to the drama and set up the comeback effort (something the Trojans had to do in all 3 tournament games), but the Trojans would not be denied. They went through the #4, #1, and #2 seeds to win the title.

- It's the second year that Washington has had their hearts ripped out by a rival. They lost 4-3 to arch-rival Oregon last year. They avenged those losses by winning the I-5 Cup (which Oregon also conveniently forgot the night it was won). However, the great season ends in dissapointment again. They're still without a title. Don't worry Huskies fans, they'll be back.

- The Trojans had revenge on their mind. UW came from down 3 goals to upset the Trojans in the semifinals last season. It was a gut check to a Trojan team that had made the Pac-8 finals for 3 years running. Maybe USC gave Oregon a similar gut check this season?

- The ghost of the Mickey Meyer incident in 2007 is gone and the shadow from that unfortunate occurence in Utah has been lifted.

- Although this was not the Miracle on Ice, there are some parallels. Oregon was the league's Russia for the last two seasons. Dominant and unrelenting. USC took them down in the semifinals in comeback fashion. Washington was the Finland that the Trojans needed to topple for the hardware, and they did so with another come-from-behind effort.

- Two turning points happened to make this title possible. One was the scrimmage on Monday. It lifted the team's spirits and made them forget the 4-game losing streak. Two was the Clark McClanathan bringing the crowd into the game full force during the second period. They truly were the 7th man, and they were roused by the unmatched enthusiasm of #7.

- Credit goaltender Phil Adams for maintaining his composure. His first period was frustrating and he could have easily lost his head. He didn't and only allowed one goal the remaining 40 minutes. The sweetest back-to-back wins of his playing career.

- Previously, no team seeded lower than 2 had ever won the league championship.

- There were times during the frustrating regular season Coach Wilbur appeared to be close to quitting. But he stuck things out, and I'm not sure USC wins if he's not behind the bench. Three specific coaching moves he, and Coaches Ramirez and Langille made stick out in my mind. The second intermission speech, the late substitution of Alex Schaffhausen for Nick Helmer before the second period goal, and moving O'Neill to forward after his defensive pairing was -3 in the first. This kind of a win has rekindled his love for Trojan hockey I'm sure.

- The core offensive players on this team are all eligible to return except for Cory Adler. The defense will take a big hit however as several goaltenders and blueliners are all a semester away from graduating. However one thing sure to return is the swagger that comes with hanging a banner.

- This game was my final one after 4 years behind the microphone for USC Ice Hockey. The team couldn't have sent me out on a better note. It's been an honor, a pleasure, and a joy to watch this team over my USC career. I'm glad it all ended on such a high moment. I'll remember this game and this team forever.

Fight on!

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Fyrwald - 7 (Lofthus)

2nd Period

Helmer - 21 (Fyrwald)

3rd Period

Fyrwald - 8 (Gawlik, Adams)
Helmer - 22 (Adler)
Fyrwald - 9 (Lofthus, Caravaggio)

Dante Caravaggio, Adam Zacuto Named Second Team All Pac-8

In this morning's Pac-8 banquet/brunch in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Anaheim, the three All Pac-8 Teams were named.

The Trojans leading scorer, Adam Zacuto, was named to the 2nd team of forwards. Dante Caravaggio, assistant captain and most dynamic blueliner, was named to the 2nd team of defensemen.

Overall, the number of players from each team broke down as follows:

Oregon: 5 -(Sam Cehula - 3rd, Ian Law - 3rd, Wren Arbuthnott - 1st, Justin Lacasse - 1st, Tom Stocklin - 1st)

Washington: 4 - (Phil Harezlak - 2nd, Daniel Carson - 2nd, Danny Dougan - 2nd, Corey James - 1st)

Arizona State: 4 - (Vince Masciantonio - 3rd, Christian Ayres - 3rd, Tyler Chomiski - 3rd, Scott Czarnik - 3rd)

USC: 2 - (Dante Caravaggio - 2nd, Adam Zacuto - 2nd)

Cal: 2 - (Daniel Sulitzer - 3rd, JP McNicholas - 2nd)

UCLA: 1 - (Daniel Vaynter - 1st)

Washington State: 1 - (Kyle Kinda - 1st)

Notable snub from USC was Nick Helmer.

Dynasty Destroyers: Trojans Shake the Pac-8 With 4-3 Semifinal Win Over Ducks

Hey everyone,

Since USC's 2007 Pac-8 Championship, Oregon has set the league on fire and broken Trojan hearts year after year. Following that game, the Ducks won 7 straight in the series and two Pac-8 titles of their own. The streak would have to fall someday, but was this 5-8 David good enough to topple 14-2 Goliath? Well 60 minutes on a Friday night would tell the tale. Winner goes to the title game, loser bows their heads and endures a consolation match. Here's what happened:

Period 1

Just like the morning game, the Trojans started off on the wrong foot. 3 minutes in, Cam Forni used a great attacking effort to burn by both defenseman and crash hard into netminder Phil Adams with the puck. Adams, the puck, and the net went flying backwards. The linesman was right along the goal line and told the official to signal a good goal. He did amidst Trojan protests and it was 1-0 Dcks. Then USC got a big break. The offense was stalled and Adam Zacuto was able to get a rink-wide pass for Ryder Fyrwald. From the far edge of the far faceoff circle, Fyrwald swung in a low prayer along the ice. It slipped under goaltender Wren Arbuthnott's pads somehow and slid across the line to tie the game. Forni answered back for the Ducks. He used a long low shot that squeaked by Adams to make it 2-1. Things proceeded to get chippy. Out of a scrum in front of the Trojan net, Dante Caravaggio was dragged out and given a 2 minute minor for roughing and a 10 minute misconduct for words to the referee after the call. Arbuthnott cleared a dump on net to the near boards, and Fyrwald very simply ran him and sent the netminder tumbling to the ice. A clear penalty unnoticed. But the referees missed an even bigger one in Oregon's favor. As the last seconds of the period were ticking away, Zacuto came free and alone, initially 2 on 0. Duck forward Ian Law backchecked and in desperation, hooked Zacuto to deny the chance. Arguably a penalty shot, but a minor penalty at the least. Referees denied both. Zacuto told me that the referees claimed that Law lifted the stick instead of hooking the body. Not by a long shot. 2-1 Oregon after 1.

Period 2

USC used that anger from the questionable calls to their advantage, just like they used Zack Keith getting plowed into to motivate them that morning against UCLA. They came out of the locker room on an absolute tear. Arbuthnott held his ground until USC got its second power play. Mitchell Landsinger fed Cory Adler just behind the net. Adler wrapped the puck around the far post and Arbuthnott's right pad and jammed it through daylight between the five-hole. Tie hockey game. 4 minutes after that another powerplay effort came through. This time Fyrwald picked his way onto the doorstop around Bruin penalty killers and stuffed a low puck between Arbuthnott's pads for the big lead. The Trojans nearly doubled that lead, but a Zacuto goal was disallowed because Lofthus was in the crease. On the other end, Adams was brilliant. His two biggest saves of the night came from an Ian Law breakaway and a Derek Wolfson buzzer-beating shot towards goal. Law had Adams beaten dead to rights, using a fake to catch Adams at the near post before dragging back and taking aim at the open side of the net. Adams somehow, someway slid over in time and got just enough on the puck to keep it out. Wolfson nearly finished off a Ducks flurry from the paint at the far post. He chopped a quick snap shot at a completely empty net. Adams reached backward and to his left with his glove hand and caught the puck at the line right as the clock ran out. Ridiculous save and one that saved USC's lead, at least for the moment.

Period 3

Adams weathered the storm, with some help from costly Ducks penalties in the final frame. But a 5-on-3 that could've sealed the game turned into new life for Oregon. After a brief 5-on-3 became a 5-on-4, Forni used great neutral zone presence to intercept a pass and break Derek Wolfson into the attacking zone 1-on-1. Wolfson went wide and skated to just below the faceoff dot before winding and firing a slap shot over Adams' shoulder and perfectly into the top corner. The shorthanded goal with 8:50 left seemed to turn the tide briefly in Oregon's favor, but USC maintained their composure. Clark McClanathan nearly got the go-ahead goal with a late breakaway that he or his linemates couldn't finish off for the life of them on several rebound tries. The Trojans kept coming and with 1:18 showing on the clock it paid off. The puck was thrown into a scrum in front of Arbuthnott. Zacuto had it on his backhand with defensemen all over him and jammed the puck low and just fast enough to trickle by Arbuthnott and across the line. (CORRECTION: The initial try from Zacuto did not go in, but apparently Fyrwald was the last to touch it for an unofficial hat trick) The pro-USC crowd went nuts as did Zacuto. Tense moments followed. Both teams called timeouts, and the Ducks got one close chance with under 30 seconds remaining. But clutch faceoff wins by Fyrwald in the Trojan defensive end were enough for USC to bleed out the clock and storm the ice. They had done it. Championship ticket... punched.

Some news/notes from the game:

- This was a history-making game for USC. There has never been a team in league history that's made it to the league finals with a losing record.

- What makes this win even more incredible is that USC was playing their second game of the day against a fresh Oregon squad. The Trojans showed no ill effects from the morning win and looked just as dynamic as they did against UCLA.

- A huge what if for Trojan fans has to be, "What if Ryder Fyrwald played in Crosstown Cup Game #5?" He has been fantastic in the 5 games he's played for the team this season. In the two games today, Fyrwald had 4 goals (officially 3), and 2 assists. A playmaker without a doubt.

- Adam Zacuto cemented his place as the Trojans' leading goal scorer and point scorer, at least officially. He was credited with two goals he didn't score (Fyrwald's), and not credited with the goal he did score (the game winner). He could've had two more, if he'd been given the penalty shot and if his other tally wasn't disallowed.

- Dante Caravaggio performed well in spite of the twelve penalty minutes. On Friday, he had 4 assists total. Caravaggio also seemed to make it his personal mission to shut down the explosive Cam Forni. On multiple occasions, Caravaggio stepped up at the blue line to knock away an outlet pass intended to spring Forni into Trojan territory.

- Clark McClanathan was almost not eligible to play in this game, but some last second maneuvering by James Anderson and Coach Wilbur got him in and USC is glad he did. McClanathan was a disruptive force along with Scott Mason and Mitchell Landsinger. They were big parts of an aggressive forecheck. McClanathan was a little bummed about not getting the game winner on his breakaway chance.

- After his performance, I think there is little question that Phil Adams is starting the title game against the Washington Huskies. Shots on goal on the night were 46-20 in favor of Oregon.

- Top-seeded Oregon doesn't just have to deal with this loss and the lost chance at a three-peat. They have a consolation game to play against a disheartened Arizona State squad. Following that, they enjoy a 16-hour bus ride back to Eugene. That could be the longest bus ride these players will ever take.

- I mentioned #3 ASU's hard loss. They played in an instant classic against the #2 Huskies. The Sun Devils took a two-goal second period lead with two banks from behind the goal line off of Danny Dougan's legs and in. The Huskies rallied for three unanswered, including the go-ahead goal with just over 5 minutes to go. 18 seconds later, ASU's Joe Moore tied the game at 3. It stayed that way through regulation before going to a shootout. In that shootout, the Huskies were put in a score-or-it's-over situation three times and scored all three. In the 7th round, UW's Dan Herda finally secured his team's spot in the title game with a game-ender.

- Incredible finish and you know that Washington will come ready to play against USC when the puck drops 7:30 PM Saturday. Especially considering that they've never won a Pac-8 title.

- On the other hand, USC has won a few titles. 7 in fact. They'll go for banner #8 on their home ice. Couldn't be more excited about the final matchup.

That's all for me. I've got to catch my breath before what's shaping up to be a simply epic final match.

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Zacuto - 25 (Caravaggio) NOTE: Goal was clearly scored by Fyrwald

2nd Period

Adler - 6 (Landsinger, Comisar) PP

Zacuto - 26 (Hite) PP NOTE: Goal was clearly scored by Fyrwald

3rd Period

Fyrwald - 6 (Helmer, Schaffhausen)