Oregon’s hockey club team came away from the weekend with two dominating victories at home against Pac-8 Conference rival California. But to get the full effect from the games, look at the score sheet.
Oregon routed California 18-5 Friday night and won 6-1 on Saturday. To put things in perspective, on Friday night alone the Ducks put up more points than the football teams from Boston College, Penn State, UCLA, USC, South Florida and Kentucky, just to name a few. The Ducks’ 18 goals is a season high.
“We were in control the whole time,” hockey coach Scott McCallum said. “I think them having five goals at the end of the game was more than they should have got.”
Although McCallum termed the Ducks’ play on Friday “too aggressive,” the Ducks were able to turn a 7-4 lead in the second period into a blowout by sticking with their playmaking first two lines. Oregon had four players score at least three goals. Cam Forni led the team with five goals, while Zach Gaynor, Eric Steinmann and Tyler McCarty had three goals and at least one assist.
The Ducks’ third and fourth lines played primarily the third period, giving his starters a rest and the reserves a refresher.
“I got those guys who hadn’t had a lot of ice time in with guys who do get a lot of ice time … it was a great opportunity for them,” said McCallum.
On Saturday night, Oregon experimented with different lines, mixing and matching different players on different lines than they were used to, and also giving more young players ice time. The different combinations did little to the final result, however, and the Ducks won their seventh straight victory.
McCallum deflected praise toward his first line of Sam Cehula, Colton Clay and Steinmann, who attacked the goal relentlessly during both nights.
“They were really clicking,” said McCallum.
Oregon’s play mirrored its victory the night before, pulling away from Cal in the third period.
Through two periods Oregon’s new-look lines managed only two goals to Cal’s one. In the third period, McCallum inserted his usual goal scorers, and got what he needed immediately – a quick insurance score. It would turn out to be one of four in the period en route to another victory on home ice.
Jeff Kraus scored for the second consecutive weekend and Kevin Keeland notched his first goal of the year. Kraus’ goal came on a rebound, shooting right into an open net.
Such lopsided wins, Kraus noted, were a chance for the players to work on new strategies.
“I think we did a good job of when we got up it gave us an opportunity to work on some of our systems,” said Kraus. “I think what we need to improve on is to play our game and not stoop down to the level of their team. We’ve just got to kind of finish them early.
“The more we play and the more we practice and hang out as a team, the more chemistry we build and on the ice. I think that has a lot to do with how you play and perform.”
Next weekend the Ducks travel to Northern California’s Bay Area, where Oregon plays Stanford in Palo Alto Friday and San Jose State Saturday. While Stanford should be “pretty easy” according to McCallum, the Ducks will be without Cam Forni and Tom Stocklin, due to personal reasons.
Both players will re-join the team for Saturday’s game against a very tough Spartan team that has made it to the nationals the past two years. The Spartans were fourth in the region last season, and should be ranked, along with Oregon, in the initial American Collegiate Hockey Association rankings that are due out later this week.
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