Gridiron aside, few sports in the UCLA-USC rivalry have been as one-sided over the last decade or so as ice hockey.
The Bruins and Trojans face each other five times over the course of the collegiate hockey season, with the winner of three games being awarded the coveted Crosstown Cup trophy.
USC has won the series in eight of the last nine years, with UCLA taking the crown in 2005.
This year, things got off to a good start for the Bruins when they won the first two meetings between the teams back in October. Since then, however, the Trojans have rallied with back-to-back victories to even the series at two wins apiece and set the stage for tonight’s finale at Anaheim Ice, the home arena of USC.
Heading into tonight’s contest, momentum would appear to be in the Trojans’ favor thanks to a pair of dramatic comebacks that pushed the series to a fifth game. On Jan. 22, in the third game of the series, USC poured in four goals in the final period to turn a two-goal deficit into a two-goal victory.
A night later, UCLA had another chance to clinch the Cup, but gave up a tying goal in the final seconds and went on to lose in a shootout.
With the Bruins’ last victory in the rivalry in 2005, the current group of seniors is seeking to go out hoisting its first ever cup.
“Winning this cup is one of our top goals every year,” UCLA defenseman and team captain Neal Parsons said. “Nobody on this team has ever been close before and we haven’t won it (as a program) since 2005. A win (today) would be the highlight of our UCLA careers.”
Compiled by Ryan Eshoff, Bruin Sports senior staff.