The Oregon hockey team is flying high again after winning six of its last seven contests. Highlighting the team’s success are two victories against rival Washington and a two-game sweep of USC, who at the time was the sixth-ranked team in the West Region.
The Ducks close out the regular season at home next week before gearing up for the Pac-8 tournament. Oregon’s recent string of victories might be enough to catapult it forward in the rankings and earn a spot in the West Regional Tournament.
The winter break arrived at just the right time for the Ducks, who had been bothered by inconsistent play caused in part by nagging injuries. Oregon used the time off to full advantage and shot out of the gate against Western Washington, winning the two-game series by scores of 6-3 and 10-3. The Ducks then took to the road, defeating Montana State twice by 4-2 scores before dropping a game to Eastern Washington, 9-0.
Oregon had little time to reflect on the loss, taking a trip to Seattle to face the Huskies. The Ducks took the first two games of the season series, meaning that Oregon only had to win one of the remaining two to retain the I-5 Cup, an annual trophy contest between Oregon and Washington. The Ducks then captured the Cup, winning the first game in a shootout after the two sides deadlocked at 4-4. To cap off its Seattle trip, Oregon dominated the next night for a 7-2 victory and a 4-0 series sweep.
“It was a goal we had at the beginning of the season,” Oregon coach Scott McCallum said. “To do it in the fashion we did was pretty satisfying.”
The Ducks returned home the following weekend for a series with USC, the highest-ranked team in the Pac-8. Oregon, the defending league champion, made a statement by winning the first game 7-3 behind the strength of a Justin Savich hat-trick. The Ducks also won the second match, 6-2. The two victories were a first for the Oregon program; it was the first time that the Ducks defeated the Trojans on the ice.
Savich is just one of the many players making a contribution to the team’s success. Senior Matt Olson is also among the team leaders in points, and sophomore goalie Matt Nuernberg sports a goals-against average of just under three.
“We have a pretty solid defensive crew,” McCallum said. “They stop a lot of goals.”
Despite its hot streak, Oregon finds itself on the outside of one postseason picture. The Ducks were ranked 14th in the West Region prior to beating USC, a position that would leave them out of the regional tournament, which only involves the top ten. The final rankings of the year are posted next weekend after Oregon hosts Puget Sound.
“I don’t feel that (USC) deserved to be ranked No. 6, and I don’t think we deserved to be ranked 14th,” McCallum said.
In contrast to the uncertainty that surrounds the regional picture, the Ducks’ place in the Pac-8 postseason tournament is crystal clear. By virtue of its record, Oregon earned the second seed in the four-team tournament, which will take place Feb. 10-11 in the Ice Center at the Lane County Fairgrounds. The Ducks won this competition last season, the first Pac-8 title in team history. Oregon will open the tournament against third-seed California. The Ducks and the Bears split the season series. Oregon took the first meeting by the lopsided score of 14-1 before losing the next night, 3-2.
“We’re happy with playing Cal,” senior defenseman Jordan Guffin said. “It’s a good matchup.”
If they beat the Bears, the Ducks will play either UCLA or USC to defend their title.
“We have to prove we’re not a fluke,” Guffin said.