Buzzer Beater: Trojans Stun Bruins in 4-3 Shootout Win

Hey everyone,

The three previous USC-UCLA games this season have all been entertaining, close, and tense. An OT winner for UCLA in Game 1. A late Trojan rally snuffed in Game 2. A penalty shot with 54.6 seconds left turned away to preserve a lead in Game 3. None of them compare to this one. This was the best USC game I've seen since my freshman year (more on that later), and certainly the most insane of the rivalry games I've witnessed. Let's get to the recap.

Period 1

The game started out slowly, which played a bit into USC's favor. The Trojans peppered Al Ricciardelli with shots from all angles, but the Bruin netminder was just as solid as he was on Friday night. Finally, after over 14 minutes of frustration, the Trojans broke through. Nick Helmer broke Adam Zacuto loose on a breakaway with a nifty feed. The Sniper of Troy pulled his favorite move and lifted his shot gloveside high just under the crossbar. A little less than two minutes later, Lofthus got his turn on the breakaway, with the breakout pass coming from Jason Bush this time. Skywalker beat Ricciardelli inside the near post to double the lead. The Bruins kept the Trojans close. With 1:35 left in the period, Zack Keith's rebound control came back to bite him. On the third rebound, Jonathan Lee worked the puck across the line to half the deficit. 2-1 the intermission score. Head coach Mark Wilbur said during the break that he was excited for the second period.

Period 2

Ironic because the second period was characterized by relative boredom. Exciting plays came on hits at center ice, big Ricciardelli saves, Wilbur's gamesmanship (remember that for later) and a sliding Lofthus that took the Ricciardelli and his net into the endboards. Other than that, no goals, and everything ended up status quo after 20 more minutes of hockey.

Period 3

But the next 20 would be a rollercoaster of emotion. On a powerplay carried over from the second period, Lee struck again by sending home a deflected and saved Neal Parsons slapshot. Nearly 10 minutes later, the Bruins put themselves in position to hoist the Crosstown Cup. The powerplay was on for UCLA yet again and this time Parsons got the glory himself. The Trojan defense focused on the dangerous Daniel Vaynter as he streaked in on left wing. Vaynter fed the trailing Parsons in the high slot for a one timed cannon past Keith that bulged the twine. The crowd at Anaheim Ice did it's best to egg the USC comeback on, but it was slow to arrive. Minutes ticked away before the Trojans registered a solid offensive opportunity. Ricciardelli continued to frustrate the USC shooters. The comeback started to gain traction as the clock ticked under 3 minutes left, but still no goals. Keith was pulled with 1:35 to go following a Bruin timeout. Desperation eventually bred excellence. USC threw out Helmer, Zacuto, Lofthus, and Ryder Fyrwald to try and tie the game. Under 15 seconds to go, Helmer had a chance at the far post with Lofthus and Fyrwald parked in front. The initial shot was turned away but Helmer kept going behind the net and around. He wrapped the puck around the near post and just beat Ricciardelli's pad desperately sliding across the crease. The building nearly falls down. Helmer's clutch effort tied the game with just 9.1 seconds left. The game would continue in overtime.

Overtime

Both teams had chances to win the contest, but the real story of the overtime session was a borderline dirty play by Lee in front of Keith. A point shot deflected high in the air. Lee reached high into the air and took a mad swipe to attempt to (illegally) deflect the puck home. The stick glanced the puck and came crashing into Keith's helmet. There was no intention to simultaneously slash and high-stick Keith, but the end result left the Trojan goalie face-down on the ice. After a few scary moments and examination from trainer Cindy Bailey, Keith stayed in the game, keeping a cold Phil Adams on the bench. Surprisingly, no penalty on a ridiculously dangerous play. Ironically, the only mark on Keith's head came from a happy injury later in the game (keep reading). After 5 solid but unproductive minutes, the game would be settled in a shootout.

Shootout

If Zack Keith had any lasting injury, it didn't carry over into the shootout. Daniel Vaynter was the first shooter for UCLA. He was denied by Adams' split save on a penalty shot aimed at the near post last night. Different goalie, different arena, far post effort, same result. Keith retreated and then kicked out his left leg to knock away Vaynter's try. Adam Zacuto shot first for USC. He's a consistent shootout machine and showed it by pulling his favorite move and picking the gloveside high corner once again. Neal Parsons then had his chance. Keith stoned him by closing up 5-hole daylight at the last second. Ryder Fyrwald put USC in a commanding lead with a sliding puck that somehow squirted underneath Ricciardelli's pads and in, possibly 5-hole. Jonathan Lee continued his hot night for the Bruins with a nifty deke towards the far post that he put home. UCLA appeared to show life in the shootout before Helmer re-extended the lead with another near-side shot behind Ricciardelli. Trojan shooters went 3/3. That gave Keith a chance to close the door on the game. Bradley Kay helped by missing past the far post with a similar move to Lee's. Game over, and just like that the Crosstown Cup was tied up 2 games apiece with Game 5 in USC's building. A good night to be a Trojan.

Some news/notes from the rivalry rumble.

- This Trojan team has created a new identity around 3rd period comebacks. This is the third game in a row where USC has rallied in the final act to tie or win a game. Fyrwald, Helmer, and Lofthus seem to turn it on in desperation situations. They may need more than 20 minutes against upcoming Washington and other elite Pac-8 teams.

- This is the most dramatic game USC has played since the Pac-8 Championship game my freshman year. In that one, Shon Smith tied the game with the net empty behind him and under 40 seconds left. Then in overtime, a Trojan bench warmer (whose name eludes me at the moment) turned around and sent in a miracle shot with right around 47 seconds left to win the Pac-8 title. The Trojans rushed the ice and dogpiled in front of the Oregon goal (including Coach Wilbur)

- This game ended with a similar bench-emptying mob. After Kay missed to seal the Trojan win, Keith casually turned around, took his helmet off, grabbed his water bottle and took a drink. When he turned back around, Clark McClanathan and the rest of the team met him, knocked the goal off of its pegs in the process, and celebrated. "I wish I'd kept my helmet on," said Keith.

- The Sniper of Troy has now officially stuck as Zacuto's nickname. If you hear that one on the broadcast, you'll know who I mean.

- I mentioned Wilbur was having an extended, polite conversation with the referee. After the game I found out that Coach was asking about possibly measuring Ricciardelli's pads to see if they fit regulations. For whatever reason, the referee apparently explained that such a check wasn't possible at the time (I'll try to clarify later). The timing was perfect because it followed an icing call and allowed USC to rest their forwards for a couple of minutes. Brilliant piece of gamesmanship.

- This was another physical game. Noah Comisar hit Bruin Patrick Tyson so hard that the endboard door popped open. I've never seen that at Anaheim Ice before.

- After 4 powerplay goals last night, USC registered none on a couple less chances in this game.

- The Zacuto, Lofthus, Fyrwald line has been broken up to spread the talent around. Zacuto moved off to reunite with Nick Helmer with Mitchell Landsinger centering. Comisar replaced Zacuto on the line.

- Fyrwald and Landsinger's high faceoff percentage was key to victory. Especially Fyrwald's late success on draws in Bruin territory.

- The other Pac-8 game on the night ended in a shootout. Oregon topped Washington 6-5.

- Give UCLA a lot of credit. They had 3 of their top 6 forwards MIA, including the shifty and talented Michael Carder, and a number of their defensemen as well. Despite that they pushed a fully stocked USC team to the brink of elimination from the Crosstown Cup. Sheer heartbreak. On back-to-back nights they have the Cup firmly in their grasp in the third period and let it slip away. Game 5 will be USC's most-anticipated game in the regular season.

See you next week in Seattle!

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Zacuto - 19 (Helmer, Schauffhausen)

Lofthus - 4 (Bush, Caravaggio)

2nd Period

NO SCORING

3rd Period

Helmer - 17 (Zacuto, Caravaggio)

Overtime

NO SCORING

Shootout

Zacuto - SCORED

Fyrwald - SCORED

Helmer - SCORED

Not Today, UCLA: Trojans Rally to Top Bruins 6-4

Hey everyone,

A wild night again for USC Ice Hockey, but in a more positive way tonight/today. Let's get to it: Bruins win the Crosstown Cup with a Game 3 victory over USC. Trojans stave off elimination if they come out on top. With fans packing the Valley Ice Center for the midnight showdown, it was on in a big way.

Period 1

The puck had barely been dropped and USC was already down. Fifteen seconds in, the Bruins struck and made a statement early in the contest. After the Trojans gained some traction things leveled out a bit. Despite numerous chances, Al Ricciardelli stood his ground and on his head to keep the Trojans off the scoreboard. He frustrated Alex Lofthus on several quality efforts from the Jumpin' Junior. Then USC broke through with around 5 minutes to go in the first. Following a play where he unsuccessfully tried to generate a chance 1 vs. 4 (on a powerplay), Ryder Fyrwald atoned the next rush. He entered the zone 1-on-2, but then dropped a pass back to Adam Zacuto who was trailing on the play. Zacuto was denied the top corner by Ricciardelli, but Fyrwald wasn't denied the rebound. Fyrwald's goal tied things at 1 and that's how the first ended.

Period 2

Fyrwald was just getting started. A little more than halfway through, Fyrwald beat Ricciardelli on a shot sent between two Bruin defenseman. That gave USC its first lead of the game. It was the only Ricciardelli mistake of the period. The Bruins would respond in a big way. Zac Tenney took advantage of a misplayed Phil Adams rebound and backhanded the puck around Adams to tie the game. Then, with the period winding down, blueliner Ashton Christian took advantage of a half-screen in front of Adams to give UCLA a 3-2 lead entering the second intermission.

Period 3

5 minutes in, Michael Carder got fancy. One dangle through the neutral zone, another one past a defenseman, and the capper got the puck between Adams legs into the net. A sensational goal, and one that had the Bruins believing that the Crosstown Cup was in their grasp. Not so fast. On a powerplay again, Alex Lofthus put home a third rebound to narrow the deficit. Then Nick Helmer re-earned his nickname on another man advantage with under 9 to go in the period. Justin O'Neill sent a beautiful head-man pass that Helmer corralled and brought in along the far boards with speed. He burned around the backchecking Bruin defense and came across the face of Ricciardelli. Helmer kept going, his stick and puck stayed behind. Ricciardelli didn't have a chance. 4-4. With under 4 minutes left, the Trojan avalanche rolled on. A Helmer rebound was punched in by a goal-hungry Fyrwald for his hat trick. Then it got tense. With 3:19 left, the Trojans took a penalty. But the man advantage for UCLA could not convert. Following a timeout shortly before the powerplay expired, the Trojans rushed up ice. Daniel Vaynter lagged behind. A Trojan turnover turned into a last minute opportunity for the Bruins. A breakout pass hit Vaynter on the tape as he entered the Trojan zone in behind the defense. Alex Schauffhausen did all he could to slow Vaynter down, including hauling him down and causing a massive pileup that slid hard into Adams. When the dust settled, UCLA had a penalty shot to tie the game with 54.6 seconds remaining. Vaynter thought he had Adams beat, but Phil did the splits and kicked the puck away. No goal. The ensuing faceoff was won by USC and taken ahead. Lofthus burned off as much time in the Bruin zone as he could, keeping Ricciardelli from leaving the ice. A sloppy Bruin turnover gave Helmer and Fyrwald a 2-on-0 on the doorstep. Big mistake. With 20 seconds left, Helmer dished it back to Fyrwald for the capper. 6-4, the Trojans the escape Valley Ice Center with their Crosstown Cup hopes intact.

Some news/notes from the exciting game:

- This was similar to Thursday's thriller, except the Trojans actually finished off their opponents this time around.

- The Bruins looked simply dejected as they left the ice. They had the Cup won, and just let it slip away. USC has a chance to break their will tomorrow.

- Now you see what the Trojans were missing? All 6 USC goals were scored by players who were not on the Utah/Las Vegas trip. 5 of the goals were scored by players who weren't on the team until this semester.

- Ryder Fyrwald plays like Nick Helmer, but at least as far as what we've seen of late, the similarities end in how the two score their goals. Helmer's tend to be pretty, showmanship-type tallies. Fyrwald's tend to be grind-them-out, nobody's moving me from the front of this net type of goals.

- Adam Zacuto with three assists on the night, but lost a little of his team goal-scoring lead to Helmer.

- This new Trojan offense has whole 'nother gear. They can score when they need to and have a tiny sense of desperation, as we saw in the last two games.

- The team also has a new physicality. Both sides banged bodies, but USC absolutely laid into the Bruins throughout the game. Coach Wilbur said during the first intermission that he's been looking for that physical spark all year long.

- Deuces wild in the second!!! In the second period, the score was 2-2 during a stoppage with 2:22 left on the clock. Aren't those great?

- I apologize for the sound quality. At Valley Ice Center, they use a digital phone system, which my broadcast box can't handle directly. So in order to get a line out, I had to borrow a rink phone, run my phone line into the phone, and then unclip the handset and plug it into my box. It's an arrangement that worked well in Vegas and has been fine in the past. For whatever reason, the handset cord or phone greatly distorted the audio signal. Things will be clearer (and simpler) tomorrow back at Anaheim Ice.

- Also, Valley Ice Center doesn't have WiFi available, making it hard to keep up with the forums. Sorry for the technical issues McClanathans. I wish I'd have known or I could have sent out scoring updates.

-Adding on top of all of that, the game didn't start until well after 11 pm, making a late start even later. I couldn't even get my gear hooked up until the prior game (CSUN vs. LBSU) wrapped up and their fans dispersed. Really just a rough night, but apologies to those who tuned in early.

That's enough out of me. Be sure to tune in for Game 4 of the Crosstown Cup tomorrow night!

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Fyrwald - 1 (Zacuto) PP

2nd Period

Fyrwald - 2 (Zacuto, Caravaggio) PP

3rd Period

Lofthus - 2 PP

Helmer - 16 (O'Neill, Zacuto) PP

Fyrwald - 3 (Helmer)

Lofthus - 3 (Helmer)

Homecoming Heartbreaker: USC Drops Wild One to LMU 9-7

Hey everyone,

Trojans are finally back at home for the first time this semester. With a significantly easier opponent, significantly more talent on the team (Lofthus, Fyrwald, Schauffhausen, Helmer, O'Neill), and a significantly more friendly home rink, a win against LMU should be a slam dunk right? Wrong.

Period 1

Notions of a USC blowout died early Thursday night. Within two and a half minutes, a pair of Dylan Milo rebound goals stunned the Trojans and gave LMU an early advantage. They followed that with Jim McDonald punching in a shorthanded goal on a crazy scramble in front of USC netminder Zack Keith. Finally, after half of a period to shake off a little rust, the wheels on the Trojan bus gained traction. Immediately following another power play, Scott Mason followed up another blast from Dante "the Inferno" Caravaggio with a backhanded putaway tucked into the goal. The momentum continued with a pretty passing play. Fresh out of the box, Ryder Fyrwald cherrypicked by the Lions' blue line. Jason Bush hit him with a pass. The defense collapsed on Fyrwald and forgot all about Adam Zacuto. The Sniper of Troy pulled a Trojan horse maneuver and snuck in behind enemy lines. Fyrwald hit him for a low breakaway. Goaltender Tyler Payne didn't stand a chance. 3-2 LMU. But McDonald seized the momentum back with a breakaway goal of his own to re-extend the lead. 4-2 was the score after a wild first.

Period 2

Whatever locker room speech Coach Wilbur gave USC, it did not appear to have an affect. Minutes into the second, a shot came in from LMU's point. Keith turned it away, but unfortunately for him, two Lions were completely alone, just standing on either side of the crease. Keith made one rebound save before Kevin Keomanee shoveled it home. Two more quick goals had USC in a deep 5 goal hole, down 7-2. With a few minutes left in the second, a great rally began. It started with Noah Comisar punching in his own third rebound. A minute later, Nick Helmer found a Zacuto rebound to bring the Trojans within 3. That's where the period ended.

Period 3

It took until about 11 minutes into the period, but the rally continued. Comisar scored on a sharp angle slapper to bring USC within two. 8 seconds later, Clark McClanathan worked his way into LMU territory. From just inside the near faceoff circle, Clark wristed a seeing eye shot past Payne to bring the Trojans within one. Two minutes after that, Alex Hite sent in a slap shot tipped by Lofthus that appeared to be saved, but just barely squeaked by Payne to tie the game up. Immediately afterward, USC really appeared to take charge. Zacuto and Lofthus came in 2-on-1. Lofthus fed Zacuto perfectly, but Payne somehow kept the puck out of the net. That stopped the Trojans' five-goal rally, and shifted momentum back. With just under 3 and a half minutes to play, Nick Soresi finished off a hat trick on an odd-man rush the other way to get the lead back for LMU. The Lions put the game away with Travis Amick's finish in front with under 2 to go. Despite the 5-goal rally, the Trojans fell short.

Here's some news/notes from the game:

- Looking for a finger to point? The obvious suspect would be Zack Keith. 9 goals allowed on somewhere between 30 and 40 shots.... not a great recipe for success. And certainly Keith had his issues. His rebound control was consistently abysmal and there were a few he'd like to have back to be sure.

- But by and large, the players directly in front of Keith likely had more to do with the loss. The goals LMU was scoring were not unscreened slap shots from the blue line. No, they were mainly odd-man rushes and unattended forwards sitting on the doorstep. On the 5th LMU goal, TWO Lions players were unguarded and unhassled. Keith had his culpability, but where was the defense?

- Part of the confusion may have come from how the defense was organized throughout the game. Returning blueliners Justin O'Neill and Alex Schauffhausen were, until after the second intermission, swapped between defense and forward depending on the period and time. With a mish mash of 5 guys back on defense, there could have been some off chemistry.

- One bright spot was the offense. On a decidedly unlucky night for the Trojan attack, they still scored 7 goals. Lofthus and Fyrwald have not lost a step. Neither has Helmer. The combination of Zacuto, Lofthus, and Fyrwald together is a potent one. Frazier and Adler weren't even in the mix on the night and the forwards were still productive as a group.

- A clarification on what I meant by unlucky in the previous paragraph. Robbed. At least in the second period, and on one occasion, not by the goaltender. On a wide angle shot at net, it appeared the puck crossed the line with the puck under Payne's glove. In sliding to attempt the save, Payne bumped the near post out of place, well after the puck was across. To make it especially clear, Payne lifted his glove and left the puck sitting across the line. Referee waved it off. Even LMU representatives in the booth with me were shocked the goal didn't stand.

- Despite the potent offense, no goals were technically scored on any of the numerous Trojan power plays.

- Zack Keith appeared injured during the second period when a Lion and two Trojans collided on the doorstep. It's a chest injury, but trainer Cindy Bailey deemed Keith fit to play. He'll get a break tomorrow night when Phil Adams steps in.

- 3L-2T-4L-5T-2L. That's not a locker combination, that's the momentum swings of this game in terms of the goals scored in a row.

- Special thanks to Izzy Wilbur for helping me out during the third period. Always a welcome guest.

- USC may have gotten caught looking ahead to Friday and Saturday's games against UCLA. Trojans need both to stay alive in the hunt for the Crosstown Cup.

That's all for me!

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Mason - 5 (Caravaggio, Szentveri)

Zacuto - 18 (Fyrwald, Bush)

2nd Period

Comisar - 5

Helmer - 15 (Zacuto)

3rd Period

Comisar - 6 (Schauffhausen, Lofthus)

McClanathan - 2 (Gawlik)

Lofthus - 1 (Hite, Zacuto)

Right Into a Brick Wall: UNLV Dices USC 8-2

Hey everyone,

Trojans finished off the tail end of a road trip out in Las Vegas against ACHA West-ranked UNLV. The day started at 7 AM and it ended much later. Somewhere in between USC had a game to play.

Period 1

It did not start well. 59 seconds into the contest, leading Rebels' scorer Anthony Vignieri-Greener found a rebound off of Zack Keith's pads and stuffed it home. 90 seconds after that, Christian Bryan beat Keith again to make it 2-0 early. Then things calmed down. Besides Clark McClanathan's ringing crossbar shot, not much happened for USC offensively. The Rebels added a third goal midway through. John Beavers gathered a feed from behind the net and one-timed it home.

Period 2

Then the Trojans seemed to wake up in Vegas. On a powerplay, Jason Bush blasted a puck into the net from the far point. No screen in front, but plenty of daylight behind UNLV goalie Kyle Kimsey. Then Dante Caravaggio struck again..... almost. Skating alone down ice, Caravaggio beat Kimsey, but couldn't quite put it in. It clanged off of the corner of the crossbar and post. Luckily for USC, Cory Adler was sitting on the doorstep ready to finish the goal. That brought the Trojans within a goal, before it all fell apart. Rensmon scored, followed by Vignieri-Greener and two from Michael Zenzola (one of which nearly tore through the net. That put USC down for the weekend.

Period 3

The third period was uneventful goal-scoring wise. Vignieri-Greener finished off his hat trick with a true putaway goal. The teams played to a relative stalemate. But then a little more than halfway through the final period, one of the dirtier plays I've ever seen happened. Adler got in a small shoving match with Zenzola along the far boards. Then Zenzola upped the ante to a level where it simply doesn't belong in the game. He cross-checked Adler in the face. Adler wrapped him up, and the linesmen quickly separated the two. Zenzola got a minor, a major (for unsportsmanlike conduct somehow), and a game misconduct. Adler was fine. Simply uncalled for.

Some news/notes from the game:

- Vignieri-Greener didn't just have a hat trick, he had 6, count 'em, 6 points.

- Player of the weekend honors goes to Dante Caravaggio. He played as one of only four defensemen on the trip, but was still USC's top offensive weapon. He scored 5 goals and nearly added a sixth against UNLV. It also wasn't unusual to see Caravaggio spread out on the ice, making a diving play.

- This Trojan team looks a lot better than they did last semester.

- There's a battle between players and coaches brewing on the bus. Coaches want to watch a selection of movies including "Old School" and "Superbad". The players want to watch "How I Met Your Mother".

- I kept calling the Rebels, Wildcats from time to time. It's not just players who get tired I guess.

- The team is absolutely exhausted from the long trip. They have three games the next weekend. Luckily, they're all in the Los Angeles area.

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

NONE

2nd Period

Bush - 3 (Zacuto) PP

Adler - 5 (Caravaggio)

3rd Period

NONE

"Beaten But Not Cowed": Weber State Smothers Trojan Rally 6-4

Hey everyone,

Back in the early days of the Dallas Cowboys when they hadn't won any Super Bowls they had a losing team, but one that would always keep it tight in defeat. The writers at the time would use the phrase "beaten but not cowed." USC fell tonight, but read on and you'll see why this applies.

Period 1

Coming into the game it would be reasonable to expect an offensive shootout with Weber State. Their goalies give up a little under 5 goals a game, but they're still a top team. The shootout was on early. 6 minutes in, Wildcat forward Chris Deitsch beat Zack Keith short side from the near faceoff circle. Adam Zacuto didn't take long to respond. Working into the zone, Zacuto snapped a laser to blocker-side high corner just underneath the crossbar. Another sniper shot, but not gloveside like just about every other one. Leading Weber State scorer Chris Roberts responded on the powerplay. He slapped a shot from the same place Deitsch did earlier in the game. This time, Keith was a good 2 feet out of position. Zacuto tried to top it on the Trojans' powerplay. Right off of a faceoff, he stole the puck, split the Wildcat defense and pulled it forehand to backhand. Zacuto finished it with a lofted backhand that tied the game at 2. Then USC fell behind in the shootout. Off of a blast from the point, Keith gave up a short rebound and slid out of the crease. Szentveri dug it out but gave it right to Deitsch. All Deitsch needed to do was tap it forward just across the line to give Weber State the lead. Then Dane Ludolph came down ie on a break. He made a quick deke and wristed it behind Keith for a 4-2 edge. Not the best period for Keith or the Trojans.

Period 2

Both teams muddled their way through half of the period before the Trojans got caught back on their heels. After two minutes trapped in their own territory, USC got it clear and tried to change. It didn't work. Ludolph brought the puck right in and fed it over to Avery House. He found daylight between Keith's legs and made it 5-2. Besides Zacuto, the Trojan offense stalled. Keith got back in the game though. After Tim Brownell drew a penalty shot, Keith shut him down cleanly. Given the altitude, lack of skaters, and lack of offense, it would've been understandable if USC folded like an old tent.

Period 3

They didn't. The Trojans slowly started waking up. Although they failed to register a chance on a 5-on-3, the play improved. The small amount of momentum built up from USC's solid play seemed to evaporate after a perfectly executed Weber State 3-on-2. Roberts one-timed a cross-ice feed into the net. But then the effort started paying off. On a 4-on-4, Dante Caravaggio (aka The Inferno) ripped a slap shot through a Cory Adler screen into the back of the net for his 5th goal of the trip. Three minutes later on the powerplay, Zacuto struck again. Working from right next to the near post, he slung a pass across the middle of the crease to an eager Noah Comisar. He wound up and one-timed it into the goal. 6-4 Weber State and USC is now officially on the comeback trail. But despite a healthy amount of chances, the Trojans couldn't break through and finished with a moral victory and an actual loss.

Here's some news and notes from the game:

- This Weber State team beat San Jose State. The Spartans demolished USC last semester. Do the math and you'll see why this was an impressive performance in defeat. It also gives the Trojans optimism for their series against the Spartans later this semester.

- Part of USC's success could be credited to the Wildcats essentially using only 6 forwards for the vast majority of the game.

- Zacuto truly carried the offense on his back. He scored two and assisted on the two he didn't score. The Sniper now has 4 goals on the trip and extended his team lead.

- Max Szentveri had an up-and-down performance. His giveaway in the first that gave Weber State the lead was deadly (and he threw his stick in frustration). After the game, Szentveri said "at least I had an assist". It looked like he was going to fade into the background until the third period came around. Szentveri egged on the booing crowd as USC took the ice for the final frame. He then nearly finished off a low break but drew a penalty in the process. Later in the period, while killing off a penalty, Butters jumped on a point-to-point pass and rushed on a breakaway. Roberts caught up from behind and mugged him. No presence on the scoresheet but another solid performance.

- Scott Mason, for the first time in recent memory, did not take a penalty. Wow. Coach Langille was absolutely shocked and demanded a penalty be added to the scoresheet after the game. No luck.

- Packed arena and a professional-style public address announcer for Weber State. A great atmosphere for college hockey.

- The team will wake up and head out at 7:30 AM. They've got a 4:30 PM start against a juggernaut UNLV club. They are by far the best opponent out of the three. To say USC will be a big underdog is an understatement. However the Trojans do add Justin O'Neill to the lineup as he joins the team in Nevada.

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Zacuto - 16 (Comisar)

Zacuto - 17 PP

2nd Period

NONE

3rd Period

Caravaggio - 7 (Zacuto, McClanathan) NOTE: Frazier had the assist, but Zacuto got credit.

Comisar - 4 (Zacuto, Adler) PP

Roll Out the Welcome Mat: Trojans Thump BYU 8-2

Hey everyone,

The Trojans made their way out to Utah and Nevada without a good chunk of skill guys. 9 forwards, 4 defensemen, 2 goaltenders, but a lot of heart. Considering the brutal three games in three cities schedule, the brutal road 12-hour drive, and the brutal competition (two teams ranked in the ACHA West Top 8), it was tough to know exactly what to expect. USC kicked things off in Provo against BYU. It didn't take long to silence the doubts and possible excuses....

1st Period

51 seconds. That's the amount of time it took for the Trojans to prove themselves. Cory Adler fed Dante Caravaggio at the point. Caravaggio wound as far back as he could, and fired a laser clean through everything except the back of the net. 1-0 USC. What a great way to start the semester. The dominant play continued. The defense clamped down on the Cougars' opportunities, and it didn't take long for Adam Zacuto to make his presence known. On a 2-on-1 rush, Zacuto sent a perfect saucer pass over the defender's stick and onto Noah Comisar's. A beautifully placed one-timer later, Comisar had doubled the lead. Just a few minutes later, the Trojans struck again. Frazier moved in one-on-one. A wrist shot was saved by Cougar netminder Brent Taylor. A short rebound popped out and Adler stuffed the puck into the net milliseconds before plowing into it. Then BYU gave USC a man advantage. Big mistake. Caravaggio pinched in by the far faceoff circle and received a feed from Comisar. He pulled the trigger from a wide angle and the puck slipped in for his second of the night. 4-0 Trojans in a statement.

2nd Period

BYU clawed back after the intermission when USC got complacent. But one part that didn't suffer was the amazing defensive play from the four blueliners and goalie Zack Keith. The Trojans killed 3 penalties and another one that carried over from the first period. Keith played great positional hockey and frustrated the Cougar forwards. Then BYU gave USC another man advantage. Same big mistake. Same player making them pay. Caravaggio finished the hat trick with another blast from the point. It deflected off of a BYU defenseman into the net. That was the only goal that period, and it was enough for a gaping 5-0 USC lead.

3rd Period

I mentioned Zacuto made his mark early. He did more than that late. Zacuto was incredibly close to scoring all game. He finally pulled through with a wraparound inside the near post. Heard enough of Dante Caravaggio's name? Too bad. He notched number four with another cannon from the blue line that deflected in traffic. Keith held onto the shutout until 7 minutes left in the game. The Cougars' leading scorer Nick Bartholomew ended it on a scramble in front. A low shot somehow snuck under Keith's pads. The crowd erupted, even though it only trimmed the Trojan lead to 6 goals. USC extended that again when Zacuto finished off a bobbled puck in front for his second of the night. BYU trimmed the lead again on a Mio Aura shot that came through a screen and surprised Keith, but the result was unchanged. An 8-2 final score and a great start to the semester.

Some news/notes from the game:

- Dante Caravaggio had one productive game on both ends of the ice. His effort was apparent in every shift he was on the ice. He shut down the Cougars at every turn and led the team with his hustle. One thing he needs to work on (and maybe the only thing) is his post-goal celebrations. After his third and fourth, he simply shrugged. C'mon Dante, where's the creativity?

- Some players stand out in certain games whether or not they end up on the scoresheet. Despite 8 Trojan goals, Max Szentveri did not end up getting a point. But that's not a reflection on his play. Szentveri received a promotion to the Cardinal line and played with purpose. He nearly scored on several occasions and worked well with Zacuto and Comisar. There just seem to be some games where the switch flips and something clicks for Szentveri. This was one of them.

- There's a new goals leader in town and his name is Adam Zacuto. His two-goal performance leapfrogged him over Nick Helmer 15-14. With Helmer out for the weekend, Zacuto can take a commanding lead in the intra-team rivalry.

- USC's penalty kill was near-perfect, allowing BYU to go 1/8.

- Adler's 3-point performance was impressive given his condition. His injured shoulder kept him from being as physical as he usually is, but Adler fought through it for a solid night.

- Luckily for Cory, his other fight in garbage time at the end of the third period didn't result in a major penalty. Tangled up on the end boards with the Cougars' Mitch Facer, Adler got frustrated and started brawling, getting in a few shots without dropping the gloves. Facer retaliated after Adler landed a good 3 or 4 punches. Both were escorted off the ice. Coach Wilbur breathed a sigh of relief when Adler only received a double minor.

- Elliot Dawson tallied his first career point as a USC Trojan with an assist on Caravaggio's fourth goal. It's great to see someone a player who shows up to so many games to just ride the bench or serve penalties get rewarded for his dedication. Congratulations Elliot!

- The Trojans were aided in this game by the absence of the Cougars' top netminder, who was injured the previous night in a 3-1 against Cal State Fullerton.

- Guess who took another minor penalty for yet another consecutive game? Scott Mason. This one was a roughing call for dumping a Cougar player into his own goalie. I desperately need to find out how many games in a row he has taken a minor in.... Besides that one blip, Mason's play was remarkably solid, generating scoring chances with his power and balance. One BYU player broke a stick on Mason's arm. Ouch!

- The 12-hour bus ride from Los Angeles to Provo consisted of lots of napping and in-ride DVD's like "Team America: World Police", "Don Cherry's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Hockey", and "How I Met Your Mother".

- Many of the players remarked after the game at how nice everyone in Provo was. Zacuto mentioned that the opposing players and referees were among the nicest he'd ever seen. The penalty box attendants were wishing USC luck in their game tomorrow against Weber State. One parent was kind enough to bring me some water during the second period. Great people.

- Their fans are also incredibly dedicated. Even though the Cougars were down 7-0, the building erupted when Bartholomew broke up Keith's shutout and were just as loud for the second meaningless goal scored by their team. They all sang the school's fight song too. Dedication...

The hard part starts tomorrow, but for now USC can bask in a big win.

OFFICIAL TROJAN SCORING

1st Period

Caravaggio - 3 (Adler, Frazier)

Comisar - 3 (Zacuto)

Adler - 4 (Frazier)

Caravaggio - 4 (Comisar, Bush) PP

2nd Period

Caravaggio - 5 (Adler, Zacuto) PP

3rd Period

Zacuto - 14

Caravaggio - 6 (Anderson, Dawson)

Zacuto - 15 PP

Second Half Preview

Hey everyone,

So 6-11 wasn't what USC expected for the first half of its 2009-10 campaign, but championships aren't won in November. The Trojans have a challenging schedule ahead, but one that just might prepare them to hoist the Pac-8 trophy in late February.

The Basics

Here's the remaining schedule, plain and simple:

Jan. 15-17 - @BYU, @Weber St., @UNLV

Jan. 21-23 - LMU, @UCLA, UCLA

Jan 29-30 - @Washington

Feb. 5-6 - San Jose State

Feb. 11 - UCLA

Feb. 15 - @Long Beach State

Feb. 18-21 - Pac-8 Tournament (Anaheim Ice)

That's 2 big road trips, 12 games total, 5 at home, another 5 against the Pac-8, and one tournament to regain the title.

Out-of-Conference

BYU (8-14)

Common Opponents: ASU (0-2)

USC's easiest game of a grueling 3-game road swing in Utah and Nevada

Weber State (10-8)

Common Opponents: SJSU (1-0)

ACHA West Ranking: 8

If the Trojans played the schedule Weber State plays, they'd be a lot worse than 6-11...

UNLV (19-2)

Common Opponents: SJSU, LBSU, ASU (5-1)

ACHA West Ranking: 5

Gulp! USC is 2-5 against the common opponents it shares with UNLV.

LMU (9-11)

Common Opponents: Cal, Stanford, ASU, CSUF, SJSU (6-4)

The Trojans prevailed in a comeback 5-4 shootout win on the road last semester.

SJSU (11-8)

Common Opponents: LMU, LBSU (2-1)

ACHA West Ranking: 7

10 & 8. That's the number of goals SJSU beat USC by in two games earlier in the season.

LBSU (6-15)

Common Opponents: CSUF, SJSU, Stanford, LMU (2-4)

49ers have the 2-1 season series edge. The game is on a Monday.

Pac-8 Play

Washington (5-9)

Pac-8 Wins: WSU (3), Oregon, UCLA

Pac-8 Losses: ASU (2), Oregon, UCLA

This series is especially meaningful for USC. In their last meeting they were knocked out by the Huskies in the Pac-8 semifinal.

UCLA (7-7)

Pac-8 Wins: Stanford (3), USC (2), Washington, Cal

Pac-8 Losses: ASU (2), Oregon (2), Washington, Cal

Two of the Trojans' most painful losses came in tight single-goal losses to their arch-rival.

Semester Prediction

Disclaimer: This prediction is my best guess and represents how I personally expect the team will do based on last semester. It is not what they're capable of doing. Injuries, attendance, and roster changes will have a major impact on the trajectory of this second half.

The Trojans face an absolutely brutal road trip to start off the semester. They'll squeeze out a hard-fought win against BYU before dropping the next two to Weber State and UNLV.

But the long drive won't shake up USC's semester. After returning home, they will beat LMU and sweep UCLA, with all wins by at least 2 goals.

That momentum will stop short in Seattle, where the Trojans will fight hard, but split two close contests with the Huskies.

San Jose State will sweep USC at home, but not run them out of the building like they did earlier in the season. A 3-goal beating and a tight 1-goal loss for the Trojans.

Game 5 of the Crosstown Cup will be dramatic, intense, and in all likelihood, chippy. With a tie game entering the third, the Trojans will finish like a champion and put away a scrappy Bruin team in the third.

In their final tuneup against the 49ers, USC will win in a close one and set up a run for the title.

Can they break Oregon's title run on home ice? I'll leave that prediction for, well... never.

Burning Questions

3) How will the USC blueliners handle the loss of Matt Lewis and only 4 rostered defensemen?

Many possibilities have been kicked around, but a concrete answer hasn't been found yet. The best option may be recruiting more defensive players from campus.

2) Can the Trojans find a winning combination on the Cardinal and Gold lines?

Absences and scoring balance dictated a shuffling of the Adler-Helmer-Zacuto and the Comisar-Mach-Frazier combinations. Expect some tinkering in search of the pairing with the best chemistry.

1) Who will be the starting goaltender for the Pac-8 Tournament?

If the tournament started today, it would likely be Phil Adams, but his lead is not huge. Zack Keith closed the semester strong, and it could easily go either way.

That's all for now. Tune in for the start of the semester January 15th against BYU!