SC Loses Shootout in Shootout
The Trojans lost what might have been the game of the Pac-8's regular season on Saturday night, but not before fighting on. USC scored first and took a 1-0 lead into the first break. Oregon tied the game early in the second period, but USC responded within in a minute to take the lead back. The game unraveled in the second period when Oregon knotted the game in the second and an Oregon player took a major penalty for charging USC goaltender, Matt Buttweiler, on the same play. However, even after another Duck went to the box, USC was unable to score, and Oregon responded by killing the 5 on 3 and scoring to take the lead immediately after getting back to full strength. The Ducks opened that lead with a power play goal late in the second period.
The third period exemplified the battles that the two teams have had throughout the recent years. USC fought back for two goals with less than ten minutes left to tie the game. Oregon took the lead back with five minutes remaining and looked ready to sweep the series until the Trojans scored on the power play with a minute left.
After five minutes of scoreless overtime (which is played 4 on 4), the game went to a deciding shootout. USC shot first in the five man shootout, but Ducks goaltender Wren Arbuthnot came up big, stopping the first three Trojan shooters, while Oregon converted all of their shots and took the shootout 3-0 and the game 6-5. The Trojans have now lost five straight to the Ducks since beating them for the 2007 Pac-8 Championship, and both teams are eyeing the 2009 Pac-8 Tournament for a possible rematch.
Coming Home For Homecoming
USC continues Pac-8 play next weekend against the Washington Huskies. The Trojans did not play Washington last season and beat them in two lopsided games in January 2007, however, the Huskies are much improved since then and took Oregon to overtime last weekend. Friday night's game will faceoff at 7:30 PM at Anaheim Ice, but Saturday night's game will have a special 10 PM faceoff due to the football game.