Friday night’s game—which gave the Oregon club hockey team a 2-1 lead in the series against the University of Washington—didn’t fit the typical mold of I-5 Cup games. Usually the games between the two rival hockey clubs are fast-paced, with both teams having piles of penalties along with a few points each on the board.
This game, the third game of the series, was the reverse.
After a 4-3 loss and a 6-3 win in their first games of 2014 on Friday and Saturday, the Oregon club hockey team will return to Eugene for the final two games of the heated University of Washington series. The series between the two rival teams is one of the most important of the regular season since the winning team takes home both the I-5 Cup and bragging rights until the two meet again next season.
It once again came down to the final few minutes in the Ducks’ hard-fought 4-3 victory over USC on Saturday night.
The Oregon hockey team’s momentum seemed to have finally started to turn. Hot off of a much-needed win the previous night, the Ducks looked to rob another two points from the University of Southern California. USC, on the other hand, had only lost by one the night before and looked to get the win they had been in reach of.
The game can be summed up in one word: great. In their first game against USC, Oregon broke their no-scoring streak and broke their losing streak all while in front of the largest (and loudest) home crowd they’ve seen all season.
The boys were chippy Saturday night.
Oregon was looking to win the fourth and final game of the Portland State series during their second home game in a row against the Vikings. Win they did. With a 5-1 score at the end, Oregon swept PSU for the second year in a row.
The win didn’t come too easily for the Ducks, however. With tensions still high from the night before and Portland having something to prove, the play was rough and tough.
Even after a week-long break, Oregon club hockey continues to dominate the ice.
Oregon played the Portland State Vikings on Friday night for their third game of a four-game series in which the Ducks took home a 7-1 win.
The first period had an explosive start. Both teams came out strong with fast and physical play. Within the first three minutes, Oregon goalie Danny Cockriel had already drawn a whistle and stopped play by covering the puck with his glove after a shot by PSU.
Just before Oregon played the Washington State Cougars in football, they faced off on the ice for Washington State’s second and last game in Eugene.
Oregon, who split their opening weekend at home 2-2, once again defeated the Cougars, but this time it was with a 16-2 score.
This past weekend, Ducks hockey took the University of Washington in Eugene for games three and four of the I-5 Cup.
The I-5 Cup is held annually between the two rival teams, with two games being played in Washington and two games being held at home. The winner took home both bragging rights and a trophy to call their own until the next year.
The series started in Washington, where both the Huskies and the Ducks came away with a win a piece.