The Cougar fight song never sounded sweeter than it did this weekend at Seven Peaks Ice Arena. It played over 20 times in two days, but never seemed to get old for fans, coaches or players. The anthem served as a reminder to the current hockey team of whom they represented and as a tribute to those who were never able to wear the blue and white.

"We have been waiting a very long time to hear the Cougar fight song and not ACDC when we exit the tunnel," coach Ed Gantt said. "Most of these guys were not even born yet and I was just in high school the last time BYU had a team."

The wait was 25 years, but it came to a halt less than a year ago when Provo IceCats hockey received BYU sponsorship.

The Cougars started the next chapter of BYU hockey on a positive note this weekend by beating a tough Long Beach State team 3-2, and then pummeling Utah 11-4 to start the season 2-0.

Emotion filled the rink as the Cougars took the ice for the first time on Friday night. They received a standing ovation by dedicated hockey fans that stood to sing the fight song as the Cougars, dressed in blue and white, took the ice.

BYU struck first against Long Beach State when Taylor Ring, a freshman, and part of the "baby line"-a line made up of complete freshman-scored the first BYU goal in 25 years.

"I shot at it and didn't even know that it went in," Ring said. "Then my teammates were looking at me and then the place erupted. I have never felt something like that before."

It took Ring the rest of the game and then talking to his teammates to realize what he had done in the first period against Long Beach.

"I did not realize the history of it at first, and then after the game people were talking to me and I began to understand what I did," Ring said.

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead into the second period, but the initial emotion had worn off and the Cougars found themselves in a dog fight with a Long Beach team that came to Provo 4-0-1 on the season.

"In the first period we came out strong; we were flat in the second period, and then we came out strong again in the third," Ring said. "In the locker room after the second period we realized the importance of getting the first win wearing the Y."

The 49ers tied it up in the second period, but Brandon Holmes scored the game-winning goal in the third to give the Cougars its first win of the season

Saturday night, the University of Utah, in only their second year of conference play, was looking for their first win against BYU in two years. The emotional win on Friday night carried over for the Cougars and their offense was too much for Utah to handle.

Brandon Holmes had four goals, Josh Burkart had two and Gage Rasmussen had two as the Cougars rolled over Utah 11-4.

"This weekend was all about having the heart and desire to win," said Adam Farero.

The Cougars left the ice Saturday night the same way the came on the ice Friday; with a standing ovation from the fans singing the Cougar fight song.

Copyright Brigham Young University 15 Oct 2007