When the UCLA club hockey team takes on USC today in El Segundo and tomorrow night in Anaheim, there will be a lot more on the line than just two games.
The Crosstown Cup, awarded annually to whomever wins the five-game series between the two teams, could potentially be decided this week.
The two teams also currently find themselves in a three-way tie with California for third place in the Pac-8. That means that the two games could cause a serious shake-up in the conference standings.
With the season now near its midpoint, two wins over the Trojans (15-3, 3-3 Pac-8) could prove to be a huge boost for the Bruins (11-10, 5-6).
Only the top three teams in the Pac-8 make the playoffs, so a strong push at this point in the season would help the Bruins land a playoff berth.
To compensate for the fact that not all of its teams play the same number of games, the Pac-8 uses a weighted point system to determine conference standings.
So while it is not exactly true that all wins count the same, a sweep of the Trojans would certainly help the Bruins create some breathing room at the top of the standings.
“Any game against USC is big,” coach Michael Kelly said.
With already a one-game deficit in the Crosstown Cup, Kelly believes that maintaining focus and mental concentration will be key against the Bruins’ crosstown rivals.
In the first game against USC this season, held at the Staples Center, the Bruins lost, 5-4.
Consequently, they’ve been preparing all week for the mental aspect of the game.
“They have got to be ready, have got to keep their heads up and watch who’s on ice,” Kelly said. “We’re working on raising their confidence and focus (for this game).”
This week in practice, the Bruins have also been focusing on the fundamentals.
“If we work on the fundamentals and toughness, we can get more shots on goal and make more scoring chances,” Kelly said.
The Bruins are also preparing for the mental and physical aspect of the Trojans’ play.
“It’s like Yogi Berra said, the game is 90 percent mental and 50 percent physical,” Kelly said.
Senior forward Allen Gregorian has been injured since the Oct. 25 game against the Trojans, and will be undergoing surgery for an ankle bone spur, meaning the Bruins will likely be without him for the remainder of the season.
“(Gregorian’s injury) is a big loss. He is a big offensive threat,” Kelly said.
The Bruins, however, have had others step up to fill in for Gregorian. Sophomore forward Jay Boffa and senior forward Jefferson Sanka have improved their scoring as well as their leadership in the absence of Gregorian.
“We got off to a slow start but we just got the ball rolling,” Boffa said. “The past few weeks have been better with some key wins. And this week against ‘SC is going to be big.”
The Bruin hockey team, currently in American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II, had a rough start this season.
“We started raw and got beat badly on the scoreboard,” Kelly said about the first few games of the season. “We’re not as big as the other teams, so we work on skill play.”
Recently, the Bruins have picked up their play. Last weekend, the Bruins swept the visiting Cal Golden Bears 5-4 and 9-3.
In the second win, the Bruins came ready to score as senior Aaron Munoz, Boffa and Sanka led the Bruins with two goals each.
Two wins over USC would almost assuredly give the Bruins sole ownership of third place in the Pac-8, key to making the postseason.
“The season’s looking up,” Boffa said. “We’re hoping to do well.”