The Vandals won their first home collegiate hockey game of the season against Gonzaga University 8-4 Saturday night at Palouse Ice Rink.
Well-rounded offensive and defensive skills allowed the Vandals to secure the contest with room for error.
Idaho’s senior heavy starting lineup consisted of senior defender Kasey Peach, sophomore defenender Cole Kubic, senior forward Dustin Pierce, freshman goalie Austin Smith and senior forward Logan Warren.
The bench consisted of junior Xavier Murdoch, sophomore Tim Barningham, senior Jordan Smith and sophomore Wyatt Tatakis.
“I think it was a well-rounded effort by everyone on the team, we are short on guys but we had some good points come out from players that wouldn’t usually have them, so that was awesome to see,” coach Kyle Watne said.
The Vandals took an early lead after Smith scored with 15:05 left in the first period. Shortly after, Smith took a slapshot to the neck, requiring medical staff to examine his injury. Smith was not seriously hurt on the play.
After many fast breaks by both teams and action in either crease, Gonzaga responded with a goal with 5:29 remaining in the first.
Idaho slapped right back with a goal by Warren minutes later.
Both teams showed determination to finish the first period, but Gonzaga got the best of the Vandal defense with just seconds left in the first period, scoring a final goal to tie the score.
Senior Forward Dustin Pierce attacks Gonzaga player while going after the puck Saturday at the Palouse Ice Rink
After the first Zamboni intermission both teams came out strong, which made for a slow start of the second period. Defense was strong for both teams until Idaho broke through, and Warren scored with 10:36 left in the second giving the Vandals the lead three to two.
Momentum shifted when Warren was penalized for checking from behind, giving Gonzaga the power play.
Gonzaga capitalized on this and tied the score 3-3 with 6:22 left in the second period.
The Vandals were quick to respond with a goal by Murdoch with 4:08 remaining.
After four goals getting past the Gonzaga goalie, his comments on the ice resulted in an ejection from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct with only 2 minutes remaining in the second period.
Gonzaga’s second-string goalie was put in cold for the last two minutes of the second and the third.
The second period ended with the Vandals leading 4-3.
Idaho took advantage of Gonzaga’s cold goalie and Pierce put in two, Peach one and Warren one to complete his hat trick.
“Dustin Pierce put two on my stick to score, I got lucky and it’s always a team effort,” Warren said.
Gonzaga scored only one more time during the third period to make the final score 8-4 in favor of Idaho.
Idaho’s rookie goalie stopped shot after shot in the third period, holding down the lead.
“Goalies kind of have to be in short-term memory, and move past it (goals), you have to think about what you could have done better fundamentally because a big aspect of goal tending is all about mentality,” Smith said.
With 550 fans in attendance, the Vandals took to the locker room victorious in their first home game of the season.
“With this game, we kind of showed people that there is a team here and that we are going places,” Warren said.
Murdoch, defensive man, ended the game with five assists and one goal.
“You don’t get assists without your teammates putting them in the back of the net, it’s easy for me to pass to them, but I trust them, and they are making really smart shots,” Murdoch said.
The team’s president, Pierce, said he is working on getting another game Dec. 7 against Washington State, but said he is unsure if that game will happen.
The next scheduled home game will be a rematch against Gonzaga Jan. 19.
Conner Swersey can be reached at [email protected]