KSU’s club ice hockey team defeated three tough opponents this weekend, including the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Thursday, 5-1, the Life Running Eagles Friday, 10-3, and the Clemson Tigers Saturday, 5-2, to bring its undefeated record to 9-0.
Georgia Tech is an ongoing rival for the Owls. The game brought 600 people to the Iceforum on Thursday.
“It’s always good to beat a big name school like Tech,” player Cory Prinzbach said. “It gets the fans excited and it was great to beat Georgia Tech.”
The game was heated between these two teams from the beginning. Both teams received seven minor penalties a piece as well as one major penalty.
Alan Dagesse from Georgia Tech and Bruno Courchesre of KSU were ejected from the game and disqualified from their next game after major roughing penalties during the second period.
Dagesse smacked Courchesre’s stick out of his hands then fell to the ice below him. The two then started a serious physical fight on the ice.
“The flying Frenchman will be back,” said Owls’ Coach Barry Dregar. “He [was] disqualified for Friday’s game against Life, but [was] back Saturday for the game against Clemson.”
KSU kept most of the play in Georgia Tech’s end throughout the game and outshot the Yellow Jackets 50 shots on goal to 16.
“It was very much a team effort,” said Dregar. “They play a very defensive trap game.”
The Owls held the Yellow Jackets to one goal in the first period, then dominated the second and third periods.
“It took a while for the boys legs to wake up,” said Dregar. “We gave them the week off of practice and it took a while for the boys to get in a groove.”
Kevin Body scored the first goal for the Owls followed by goals from Mike Pearson, Devan Bousquet, Dylan Conklin and Graham Leiding. Conklin scoring with his signature shot from the blue line.
“We’re trying to just do anything we can [to get the puck in the net],” said Bousquet. “We try to anything it takes, but it just doesn’t always go our way.”
Many of the team’s scoring opportunities were set up by Larry Adegoke. He played a strong passing game and set up his teammates for many goal attempts. The Owls played a strong passing game all around.
“Once again we dominated the game,” said Dregar. “But we have to work on finishing.”
Coach Dregar expects the team to finish the season first or second in the region. The rankings will be given out Nov. 4.
The Owls will have a double-header this weekend against North Florida at the Kennesaw Iceforum Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m.
