Harbor City, CA - After a five week break for the winter (except for a single practice this past Monday), the USC Trojans (8-8-1) kicked off the spring semester with a 6-5 shootout win (Game Log | Box Score) over the Loyola Marymount Lions (6-11-0) in front of a raucous hostile crowd in Harbor City on Thursday night.
The game was the start of a three-game weekend for the Trojans, who have won 6 of their last 8 games, including against then-6th ranked San Diego State to go into the break. The win completes a sweep of the annual Century Cup series between USC and LMU, with the Trojans having taken the previous two meetings (5-2, 6-5).
The Century Cup was supposed to have been presented to USC last night, however LMU failed to bring the trophy to the game.
The Trojans were led by the offensive tandem of senior Adam Zacuto (2 goals, 2 assist) and sophomore James Huebner (2 goals, 1 assist), as well as the goaltending of junior Eric Chiccone during the shootout (24 saves).
The first period got off to an electrifying start with Zacuto scoring USC’s first two goals: the first with an assist from James Huebner just 3 minutes into the game, then again shortly afterward while shorthanded (unassisted).
About a minute after the second goal, LMU responded with their first goal of the game, on a power play by Nick DelBueno (Michael Indigaro, Robert Yanotta) after USC’s Ryan Manning was called for slashing.
USC’s Hank Griesbach scored unassisted to extend the lead to 3-1. LMU’s starting goalie, Tyler Payne, was replaced by Vitto Banez after allowing the 3 goals on just 6 shots.
Total shots-on-goal for the game was 32-29 in USC’s favor.
The physicality of the match picked up when Luke Walker delivered a bone crushing hit on an LMU attacker late in the period that sent the Lion’s stick flying in the opposite direction than his body.
With just 7 minutes before the first intermission LMU’s Indigaro (Kevin Keomanee, Kyle Burch) cut into the lead and the period ended with USC maintaining a 3-2 advantage.
The 2nd period was more physical and defensive in nature. USC’s Huebner scored his first goal of the game trailing on a 2-on-1 shorthanded breakaway, receiving a pass on the weak side from Zacuto and putting in the backhand to extend the Trojans’ lead to 4-2.
Three minutes later, the Lions answered with their own shorthanded goal to make it 4-3, when Jack Hyman blocked a slapshot from the blue line that careened toward center ice, leading to a 1-on-0 breakaway for Hyman, who put it around USC goalie Eric Chiccone.
Emotions boiled over for both teams with 19 seconds left in the 2nd, when a couple of LMU players got too close to Chiccone and a shoveling match broke out in and around the USC crease. However, no penalties were called and the teams went into the locker rooms with the score at 4-3 USC.
The Lions mounted a strong comeback in the 3rd period. LMU took advantage of an interference call on Max Ernst halfway through the period, and scored the power play goal (Hunter Costin, assisted by Yanotta) to tie the game up at 4 goals apiece.
Another penalty on USC with 3:27 left (Tom Duffy – 2 minutes for slashing) almost proved costly for the Trojans, as LMU’s Jim McDonald (Kalei Tipon) scored just 6 seconds into the power play to take the lead, 5-4.
The Lions’ aggressive forechecking contained the Trojans in the USC zone for most of the remaining time, preventing Chiccone from reaching the bench for the extra attacker until just 40 seconds remained.
LMU had an opportunity to put the game away after gaining possession of the puck in the neutral zone with an empty net, but shot the puck wide. A subsequent blown whistle for a dislodged net allowed USC to call a timeout with 25 seconds remaining to set up one last push; however the faceoff remained on the USC end, forcing Chiccone back into the net.
After the faceoff, the Trojans grabbed the puck behind the net, and Mike Mowrey stretched a pass up to Zacuto, who drove to the net and passed off to Huebner who buried the equalizer with just 3 seconds remaining on the clock, sending the game into overtime with the teams tied 5-5.
The Trojans carried the momentum into the 4-on-4 OT period and outshot LMU 3-1, but with no goals for either team, the game went to a shootout.
ACHA shootout rules are similar to the NHL, with 3 players from each team having an opportunity to go against the opposing goalie, followed by 1-and-1 if still tied after the initial three.
Both goalies stood their ground, keeping denying the shooters through the first 4 rounds.
Shooting for USC were Zacuto, Huebner, graduate David Knight, and junior Corey Newman, who were all stopped on their attempts.
Finally in the fifth frame, USC graduate Ryan Kucinski deked to his right and sent a forehand wrister past Banez, leaving LMU having to answer to keep the game going.
However Chiccone had other plans, and with his fifth consecutive shootout save, captured the win and the Trojans rushed the ice to celebrate their win and sweep of the season series.
The Trojans continue their weekend tonight and tomorrow in Anaheim against the visiting 6th-ranked (and PAC 8 newcomer) Utah Utes (19-6-0), who defeated 7th-ranked SDSU (12-10-0) last night 3-1.
Warmups for tonight starts at 8:20; tomorrow, 7:15pm.
LMU hosts SDSU in Harbor City on Saturday.
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