After a challenging season without a win against an American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I opponent, the San Diego State Aztecs (3-22-1-0) finally broke through on senior night, defeating the University of Oregon Ducks 2-1 (13-10-0-0).
“I feel really happy, and I’m glad we could get the win,” senior defenseman Logan Okanski said. “From a personal standpoint, I’m so happy and so grateful that I have a group of guys where I could take a year off to heal up from my injury and pick right back up where I left off.”
Before the game, the team celebrated Okanski and the two seniors: captain defenseman Ryan Elleraas and forward Michael Chua.
Junior Liam Dee got the start in net for SDSU, while Thomas Cafarelli was between the pipes for Oregon.
The first period was largely back-and-forth, with both teams generating scoring chances, but the goaltenders kept the puck out of the net. Midway through the period, however, the Aztecs began to tilt the ice, applying sustained pressure in the offensive zone.
Fittingly, with senior night festivities setting the tone, it was Okanski who opened the scoring. His slapshot from the left circle found the back of the net with 1:35 remaining in the period. Junior forward Cam Ferraz earned the secondary assist, extending his point streak to seven games.
“It was a bit of a deja vu experience for me,” Okanski said. “In my first game with SDSU, I scored, and in my last game, I scored, so it was a great way to close it for me.”
Oregon came out strong in the second period, peppering Dee with shots, but the junior netminder stood tall. The second period was a battle of the goalies as neither team found the back of the net in the middle frame and Oregon held a 33-19 shot advantage.
SDSU found an insurance goal with 9:40 remaining in the third period. On a two-on-one rush, junior forward Mason Brown elected to shoot and beat Cafarelli, giving the Aztecs a 2-0 lead.
Oregon finally broke through with just under four minutes to play when forward Ryan Green’s wrist shot from the right circle cut the lead to 2-1, ending Dee’s shutout bid.
The Ducks poured on the pressure in the final minutes, pushing for the equalizer. Dee answered back as he made several key stops to seal the victory and complete a remarkable 49-save effort.
“It was awesome going up against a talented goalie on the other end, but for the boys to put two past him was huge,” he said. “Having that cushion made a big difference. I didn’t have to worry about one sneaking under the arm again, I could just play with confidence and trust the guys in front of me, and they showed up.”
With the win, SDSU finishes its season with a 4-22-1-0 record, and the University of Oregon ends its season with a 13-10-0-0 record.
