BYU NewsNet - Growing Rivalry Returns to the Ice

The UVSC/BYU hockey rivalry may be in its beginning stages, but on Friday, Utah County bragging rights will be on the line when the undefeated Cougars take on the 6-0-1 Wolverines.

"We use the same rink, we live in the same town, we run into each other on the street and their coach used to be BYU's," said head coach Ed Gantt about the growing rivalry. "They are a good team that did some good recruiting in the off season, so it should be a good challenge, but we will be ready."

This weekend will mark the first time that both teams will be coming into this match-up unbeaten. It will also be the first time that UVSC will play BYU, and not the Provo IceCats. Both teams will look to hand the other its first loss of the season on their own home ice.

"The rivalry has gotten pretty intense the past two years," Nate Herrington said. "This year they have a pretty tough team and we are expecting a pretty tight game."

The Cougars are coming off of two emotional wins last week against Long Beach and Utah, and will look to continue to build momentum this week.

"We had a couple of breakdowns last week," Derek Battisti said. "Against Utah we played down to their level; we are a much better team than that. UVSC is better than Utah, but we need to come out and pay our game and not lower our playing standard to theirs."

Last year, the Cougars and Wolverines split the season series 1-1, but UVSC will be looking to avenge a 12-5 loss in its last game of the season last year against BYU.

"In the first game last year, we took them lightly and they were able to pull out a win," Herrington said. "The next game in March we ended up winning 12-5 because we were prepared and realized that they had some talent."

Both teams have offensive weapons, but BYU will focus on playing a defensive game to stop the quick, powerful offense of the Wolverines.

The game will start on Friday at 8:30 p.m. at the Seven Peaks Ice Arena.