In their first games of the winter quarter, Oregon club hockey took on the UCLA Bruins in what would prove to be two intensely physical games. Oregon came away with both wins (4-3, 5-3) and effectively broke their five-game losing streak from games prior to winter break.

Friday:

At the beginning of Friday night’s game both teams were playing fast, physical, clean hockey, but things quickly became chippy after a UCLA tripping penalty in the second half of the first period led to an Oregon power-play goal by Will Daniels. The goal was followed a minute later with another Oregon goal by Alex Sulitzer.

The second period started off with a Bruin in the box serving the final 23 seconds of a tripping penalty committed at the end of the first. UCLA used the period to take the lead by scoring three unanswered goals, their second one being shorthanded. There were also seven minor penalties committed in the second period, four by the Bruins and three by the Ducks, including a roughing call simultaneously given to both teams.

The third period had more of the same roughness, but Oregon was able to recover their initial lead after a goal from Nick Sciabarra in the first three minutes of the third to tie the game, and the game-winning goal from Trevor Shott a little under five minutes later. Shots on goal for the game were 29-28, Oregon.

The clashing between the two teams didn’t stop after whistle blew and the clock hit zero. In the handshake line a small scuffle broke out between the two teams and the Bruins were awarded a 10-minute game misconduct for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Saturday:

The bad blood between the two teams ran even deeper than before on Saturday. The Bruins took the first penalty of the game only 3:12 after the puck dropped. Daniels entered the Oregon box for roughing a few minutes after. The penalties only continued from there. While nearly all of them were roughing calls, the Bruins also picked up a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

With no goals in the first period, the majority of the action happened in the second period. Shott picked up the first goal of the game with an assist from Patrick Sgarlata, and two minutes later a fight broke out. In accordance with ACHA rules, Cody Drees, Joe Hoover, and a UCLA Bruin all received DQs and were ejected for the fight, and Hoover picked up an additional match penalty for the Ducks.

Soon after the fight, Oregon nearly extended its lead to two after a shot by Chris Campbell, but the goal was disallowed due to a player in the crease. Then UCLA took advantage of the momentum they were garnering, scored a short handed goal, followed it up with a power-play goal and ended the period leading 2-1.

With four goals and only one Oregon penalty, the third period went in the Ducks’ favor. Despite a brief rally by UCLA to bring the score up to 4-3 and only be trailing by one, Patrick Taylor scored an empty-net goal with three seconds remaining on the clock after UCLA pulled their goalie. The game ended with 5-3 in favor of the Ducks with shots between the two teams being 50-39, Oregon.

Instead of a fight after the whistle, Saturday ended in a more pleasant way. After the game ended, ‘Skate with the Ducks’ began. Anyone in the attendance was given free skate rentals and could join the players on the ice for free skate.

Follow Anne Yilmaz on Twitter @anneyilmaz

[Story was originally published here by the Daily Emerald on January 11, 2015]