Without the close scrutiny of the media and many Bruin fans, a
UCLA-USC showdown is looming this upcoming weekend. In a classic
face-off between two rivals, there will be hard-hitting, fast-paced
action. The only difference is that it’s on ice.
With the club hockey season well underway, the Bruins look to
dominate the Pac-8 as they have in past years. Notching two
victories against Cal this past weekend with scores of 6-3 and
10-3, UCLA now looks to its crosstown foe.
The Bruins are set to face off against the Trojans today and
Saturday, with today’s match at home in the Toyota Sports
Center and Saturday’s match at the Anaheim Ice.
Currently, the Bruins sit atop the Pac-8 with an undefeated 2-0
record and a 4-0 record overall. The Trojans are close to the
Bruins in the standings with a 3-1 record in Pac-8 competition.
They sport a 4-4 record overall.
At this point, the teams appear very evenly matched.
“It’s hard to say right now without having seen them
in action,” senior Jeff Sanka said. “The last few
seasons, we have been very close.”
Although naturally there is a huge rivalry with USC, the Bruins
see the game merely as a stepping stone on the way to accomplishing
their season goals.
“We want to reclaim the CrossTown Cup, finish first in our
conference, and win the conference tournament,” Sanka
said.
Ultimately, if the team accomplishes the above goals, it is in
good shape to make the playoffs. In order to make the playoffs, a
team must be ranked in the top 10. Last year, UCLA finished
11th.
Nevertheless, it is no easy stretch to even win the Pac-8. Many
of the players think it is a wide-open race that any team has the
chance of winning. Even with the loss of a number of key personnel,
the team retained Martin Galstyan on offense, who was a first-team
All-Pac-8 selection last year, and team captain Jake Gunn.
Spearheading the defense will be Adam Kubalski, who many argue is
the league’s best goalie, and Brad Whitworth and Scott
Freschet as the defensemen. With a fresh group of players on this
year’s team, the Bruins have their work cut out.
“We’re still sort of trying to find a groove, an
identity with the team,” team President Alex Fineman said.
“We have a lot of talent here, and I think it’s a
matter of time before we really start clicking. By the end of the
season we really ought to be hitting our stride.”
Even with an inexperienced team, the Bruins look forward to
today’s game, when a much-anticipated homecoming will be
given to the Trojans. Last season, the Bruins and Trojans had
skirmishes on the ice that soon turned their hockey match into a
boxing match. The brawl curtailed goalie Kubalski’s
season.
The Bruins are now looking to take a different approach.
“What happened last year is pretty much behind us
now,” Fineman said. “It hasn’t been talked about,
and I’m glad it’s that way.”
Or in the words of Sanka, “There is no last year, there is
only Friday.”
And with the mentality of focusing on the present and not the
past, they hope it will lead to the CrossTown Cup in the near
future.