Hey everyone,
Oregon has had USC’s number for the last 3 seasons. Since the Trojans’ dramatic 4-3 Pac-8 Championship victory in 2007 over the Ducks, Oregon has not lost once to Troy. This season, unlike last, the games are in Anaheim. Did it make a difference? Short answer, no. Oh… you want the long answer? Read on.
Period 1
The Trojans must have gone to bed early, because they looked like they were sleepwalking in a devastating first period of play. The game stayed scoreless until first line forward Ian Law gave the Ducks a 1-0 edge a little before halfway into the period. Then the dam broke open… two powerplay goals and another rebound tally by Derek Wolfson gave Oregon a crushing 4-0 lead. Starting goaltender Phil Adams was under absolute siege in the first, facing 24 shots in the frame. Meanwhile, USC’s illness-ridden offense (more on that later) tallied only 3 shots in the entire period. Against San Jose State just three weeks earlier, the Trojans seemed to pack it in facing a similar deficit. But….
Period 2
The Trojans woke up. Just like in the second period of “The I-5 Game”, USC stopped the bleeding without healing the four-goal wound. USC had several close calls, but were shut down by Ducks netminder Jack Barry. A misconduct penalty to Adam Zacuto and a 5-minute boarding major to Max Szentveri kept the USC offense from getting on the scoreboard. Shots in the period were still 13-4 in favor of the Ducks, but that doesn’t reflect the changed Trojan team out on the ice. Coach Wilbur, despite still facing a 4-0 deficit, was pleased with the team’s turnaround.
Period 3
And then the Trojans broke through. Early in the third period, Nick Helmer took a long pass from Alex Hite, blew by the Ducks defenseman, and deked around Barry for the goal. That goal triggered inspired Trojan Hockey for the rest of the period. The offense buzzed around Barry, giving the Ducks defense all it could handle. But then one moment unraveled comeback hopes that evening and seriously hurt USC’s chances the following night. Oregon forward Carter Achilles was skating with the puck in an arc inside of Trojan territory. What happened next is up to who you ask. If you ask my broadcast partner Max Ernst, team video man Jeff Lewis, or defenseman Michael Gawlik, Achilles was laid out with a clean (albeit slightly high) hit. If you ask some of the other Trojans watching from the bench or, more importantly, the referees, Gawlik’s elbow came up and hit Achilles in the head. Either way, it sent Gawlik and Achilles off to the locker room. Achilles with a head injury and Gawlik with a 5 minute elbowing major and a game disqualification (kicking him out for Saturday’s game). Initially, the Trojans kept the energy up starting off the long penalty kill with a nifty 2-on-1 shorthanded goal from blueliner Dante Caravaggio. That narrowed the deficit to 4-2, but then the Ducks finished. They took advantage of their extended man advantage with 2 more powerplay goals. The Trojans kept fighting, with Zacuto scoring on a beautifully executed penalty shot, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
Here’s some news, notes and observations from the game:
- This Ducks team does not miss star goalie Wren Arbuthnott as much as you might expect. Jack Barry proved he is a capable successor with some truly unbelievable goals.
- Phil Adams had a chance to take a solid lead in the goaltender battle, but a sloppy first period kept things fairly even with a chance for Zack Keith to make an impression Saturday morning.
- In addition to losing captain Mike Gawlik for tomorrow’s game, first line forward Cory Adler may be absent. Word from the Trojan locker room is that he may have some type of head injury incurred during the first period (possibly a concussion).
- USC is not immune from the flu bug going around campus. Josh Frazier will miss this weekend’s series with a severe flu, while Max Ernst and Scott Mason are both out for similar illnesses. Ernst may play tomorrow, but it remains to be seen.
- As I mentioned during tryouts, Adam Zacuto may have the best penalty shot move I’ve seen. It doesn’t look like much until he brings it onto his forehand at the last second and picks the absolute top corner of the net. Absolutely unstoppable.
- Oregon may have the perfect strategy for handling the I-5. They all came down on one bus straight from Eugene. That way they either all make it or none of them make it. That is one hell of a drive though.
- It’s tough to tell whether Alex Hite or Dante Caravaggio is the best defenseman so far for USC. Hite is arguably more solid defensively, making great plays on the back check and consistently clearing pucks away from dangerous areas. Caravaggio is a gambler to be sure. He plays fast and loose in his own defensive end and loves to hit. Dante also shows no fear in hopping into the attack as evidenced by tonight’s shorthanded goal. Both have devastating slapshots, absolute cannons. Hite sent in some lasers from the red line while Caravaggio is equally dangerous from the point.
Early morning game in Anaheim tomorrow. I’ve got to get some rest or my own version of the flu is only going to get worse.
OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING
1st Period
NONE
2nd Period
NONE
3rd Period
Helmer - 8 (Hite)
Caravaggio - 2 (McClanathan) SH
Zacuto - 5 PS
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