By Julie Ann Grosshans

NORTH LOGAN - November has been a curse this season for the Utah State club hockey team.

Since beginning the month, the team started a four-game losing streak, including a 12-3 blowout to Arizona on the road.

Thursday was different though -- the team knew it was going to be different.

Utah State defeated Idaho 10-3 in the first of a three-game homestand.

"We've had a rough schedule up to this point," said USU assistant coach Ty Newberry. "We actually had this date circled on our calendar."

It's not that Idaho is necessarily a bad team, Utah State is just better.

At least that is how it looks on paper. It probably didn't hurt that the Vandals' coach was unable to make the game because of other commitments.

"If you don't get up to play, hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard," Newberry said. "We were just looking for a game where we could control momentum.

"When we play teams that are more talented, they control (the momentum)."

The Aggies were the ones behind the wheel against the Vandals.

Utah recorded four goals in the first period before the Idaho finally got on the board with a minute left.

Aggie Robert Hashimoto scored his two goals during the 4-0 stretch. He also assisted on two plays for the night.

"He played pretty well," Newberry said of the left wing. "He's really matured in the past couple of months in in being able to find his role on the team. He's just a solid, all-around player."

Hashimoto said he wasn't disappointed he didn't record a hat trick, but he did have praise for teammate Aaron Burrell who accomplished the feat himself.

Burrell finished the night with three goals and five assists.

"He had an awesome night," Hashimoto said. "He had a bad leg and a messed up shoulder during practice. I'm just glad he got a hat trick because he worked really hard."

Utah State will be back in action tonight as it hosts Oregon and Saturday when Arizona State comes to town.

"[Tonight] we are going to play really well after [Thursday's win] because we just had an awesome game," Hashimoto said.

NW
MK

September 1998
October 1998

January 1999
February 1999
March 1999
April 1999
September 1999
October 1999
November 1999
December 1999

January 2000
February 2000
March 2000
April 2000
May 2000
June 2000
July 2000
August 2000
September 2000
October 2000
November 2000
December 2000

January 2001
February 2001
March 2001
April 2001
May 2001
June 2001
July 2001
August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
November 2001
December 2001

January 2002
February 2002
March 2002
April 2002
May 2002
June 2002
July 2002
August 2002
September 2002
October 2002
November 2002