The BYU hockey team dropped a pair of games to Montana Tech, losing 6-2 on Friday and 8-2 on Saturday, bringing their record to 0-3 on the season.
The Cougars had their opportunities, more then doubling Montana Tech in shots on goal in the game on Saturday. At one point in the game, Montana Tech went 10 minutes without a shot being forced to defend byt the Cougars, but the Diggers made the few shots they had count at the right times. The Cougars had to battle back twice to tie the game Saturday, but unfortunately gave up a goal and the momentum a few moments later to the Diggers.
After the game had slipped through their grasp the Cougars battled to the end increasing their physicality. With the increased physical nature of the game and being unable to get out of their half of the ice several fights broke out on the ice. The result was several penalties and the Cougars having to kill penalties for the last four minutes of the game. However, Coach Jeremy Weiss was not upset with the additional penalties and the fights.
“We play better when we are physical,” Weiss said. “I wish we would play the whole game that way.”
The Cougars have demonstrated the skills that they have acquired through their strategic play, but Weiss now wants to see the team become more efficient in their play.
“When you are only getting one of twenty-three shots to go in you’re not going to win very many games,” Weiss said.
The Cougars struggles in the net have continued to plague them but they are not giving up hope.
“We have some goalie coaches that are going to start coming to practice,” captain Mitch Facer said. “They know we’re there right behind them. Without them we wouldn’t have a team and we wouldn’t have a season.”
The Cougars continue to have questions with their young team but they are hoping to solve those with these early season struggles.
“This going to pull us closer together,” Facer said. “We’re all about adversity. It’s just going to make us stronger if we keep our heads up and keep working through it.”
The Cougars will be tested again this week with a rivalry game against the University of Utah on Friday in Salt Lake City and then return home for a game against Boise State Saturday.
