Hockey plays home and road games this weekend

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The BYU hockey team plays two games this weekend: a home game against the University of Colorado – Denver on Friday, followed by a road game against Utah State in the hostile George S. Eccles Arena in Logan.

BYU hopes to continue to improve step by step, but they face a tough task with CU-Denver and the Aggies this weekend.

“Every game is a challenge in its own way, we just need to have the proper mindset,” said defender Scott Johnson.

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A trio of Cougars chase a Montana Tech player earlier this season.

University of Colorado-Denver is 1-6 on the season. Utah State is undefeated at 10-0-1. Utah State is averaging almost nine goals a game, having been held under double digits only five times all season.

BYU has had its struggles during the first 10 games of the season. Power play, penalty kill, offense, defense, personnel changes; the team has tried to improve all season in these key areas.

“We’ve seen the new players improve, and the lines just develop more chemistry game after game,” Johnson said.

The Cougars haven’t played the University of Colorado-Denver before. The team is in its second year of play, and this is its first trip to Utah.

Utah State has been piling up the victories this season. Their only game that didn’t result in a win was a 2-2 draw against Michigan State, one of the top teams in hockey. The Aggies have been averaging close to six goals a game at home, while giving up around two.

“Utah State likes to put on a show at home, letting the crowd energy get to them a little,” said forward Tim Hope. “They seem to hit a little harder and play more physical than they do on the road.”

With such a big match-up against Utah State, the players and coaches are making sure not to overlook CU-Denver.

“It’s a winnable game for us if we play to our systems,” Hope said. “It can’t be a trap game for our team.”

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