Author: Liz Alper

(image credit:  The Daily Aztec)

For the second game in a row, the Aztecs’ hockey team played host to the Arizona State Sundevils after coming off a big 6-5 win on Friday night.   Sadly, the Aztecs couldn’t carry that momentum into today’s game.  ASU was tired, this game being their third game in three days, but that didn’t show in today’s game.  In a game ridden by penalties for both teams from the start, Arizona State took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.  ASU’s Jake Savona made it 2-0 with a nice snipe past netminder Connor O’Brien with just over 2 minutes left in the first.   Savona would strike again in the second period with the exact same shot, making it 3-0.  Just 24 seconds later, the score increased to 4-0.

In the 3rd period, ASU capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play and made the score 5-0.  They would go on to shut out the Aztecs.  Freshman goalie Matt Inglis got the shutout.

(photo credit:  sdsuhockey.com)

The Aztecs hosted UNLV on Saturday afternoon at the Kroc Center.  The game got off to a slow start, but picked up five minutes into the first period when the Aztecs struck first after several chances.  Minnesota native Hunter Johnson scored first, followed by a beautiful unassisted diving goal by Anthony Mata to make it 2-0.  Freshman Hayden Bolls added to the scoring with a nice feed from Hunter Johnson to make it 3-0, all in the first period.

With nine minutes left in the 2nd period, Hunter Johnson scored his 2nd of the afternoon, bringing the Aztecs up 4-1.

The 3rd period saw a bevvy of Aztec goals; John Riley made it 5-1 on a pretty feed and goal.  Two minutes later, Mata racked up his second goal of thee night to make the score 6-1 Aztecs.  Another two minutes later, Travis Sevilla scored to make it 7-1.

Anthony Mata would earn himself a hat trick on the power play, no less, at the end of the 3rd period, making the score 8-1 Aztecs.

UNLV got one back at the end of the first thanks to Christopher Jones, but that would be all they could manage.  The final score in this one:  Aztecs 8, Rebels 1.

The Rebels started early in the 2nd when they struck for 3 runs, all off of singles, making the score 3-0.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Evan Potter was drilled in the head by a pitch and had to be taken out of the game.  He was replaced by Danny Sheehan.  Tim Zier sacrificed at first to make the score 3-1 after the Aztecs loaded the bases.  Ty France drove in a 2-run single to tie the game at 3.

Ryan Muno singled in the bottom of the 4th.  Tyler Adkison singled off of a bobble of McAllister’s glove.   But nothing happened until the next inning when France hit a solo homer off of Rebels starter Bryan Bonnell to put the Aztecs up by 1.  Brad Haynal doubled, but 1 run is all the Aztecs would get.

Aztec starter Mark Seyler was replaced by closer Michael Cederoth.  Cederoth got out of a jam in the bottom of the 7th, stranding a man on 2nd.

In the bottom of the 8th, Seby Zavala hit a double off the wall that was nearly another Aztec home run.  Steven Pallares bunted down the 3rd base line.  Adkison drove those two home to make it 7-3 Aztecs.  Greg Allen singles, but it was after a run was thrown out at home.

That’s all the scoring that would happen.  The Aztecs eek out a 7-3 win and will face UNLV tomorrow afternoon.

The Boston Bruins are surprisingly getting shell-shocked by the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The Habs lead the series 2-1.  The question is, though:  why have we been able to beat the Habs all this season, and now in the playoffs, we can’t?  The Bruins need to step up their game.  Their play has been lackluster and not fast enough to keep up with the Canadiens’ speed-skaters (Tomas Plekanec, etc.).  We need more action from Patrice Bergeron as well; he’s been practically invisible these playoffs.  Almost as invisible as Sidney Crosby.  The only difference is that Crosby finally scored a goal.

We need better production from our Merlot Line.  The Bruins CAN come back to win this series, we just need to produce better.