BYU hockey laces up for Weber State

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The BYU hockey team hits the road for its third game of the season Saturday to take on Weber State.

“We absolutely have a shot this weekend, I have so much confidence in this team,” BYU defender Tanner Billingsley said.

The Cougars are looking to bounce back from two losses to Utah State last weekend and find victory against another in-state opponent.

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BYU senior Josh Burkart scores against Boise in a game last season.

“Seeing one of the best teams in the West is a good measuring stick for the rest of the season because nothing else will be as hard as what we see from here on out,” BYU right winger Tim Hope said. “Everything else we do the rest of the season should be building off last weekend.”

Although last weekend’s loss is seen as a building block for the team, BYU center Landon Ball said losing is still tough to overcome.

“It’s hard to come back from a weekend like that, mentally, physically, so we have to cut that weekend out of our mind and move on from there,” Ball said.

Weber State has had the Cougars’ number for the past few seasons, but BYU was able to steal two games last season. BYU had the advantage last year, winning two of the three games in the season series.

The team hopes it continues to buck the trend and find success against the Bobcats this season.

However, Weber State returns three of its top scorers:  Braxton Green, Chris Roberts and Josh Guidice.

“Braxton Green is one of the solid, go-to players,” Hope said. “If we can get him out of the game mentally, a lot of their firepower is taken out.”

The team practiced its power play execution and forechecking this week; two things the players are wanting to improve on in the game against the Bobcats.

“We have the systems that our coach wants us to use, and if we follow those systems, we will be effective as a team and as a unit,” Billingsley said. “We will be hard to beat if we do that. We need to be sure that we play like we have been practicing, if not a little harder, and then we will be hard to beat.”

The game will be at 7:15 p.m. at the Weber County Ice Sheet, next to the Dee Events Center on Weber State campus. This is the first game of the season for the Bobcats. Weber State is offering free admission to anyone attending the game.

 

 

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