Issue date: 12/12/07 Section: Sports

Junior Chase Turner receives a pass during Saturday's Causeway Classic. Turner scored a goal in the game. [Click to enlarge]

The Sacramento State hockey team split a two-game series with the UC Davis Aggies this past weekend, which was dubbed as the "Frozen Causeway Classic." Both games were separated by one goal.

The Aggies won Friday's game by a score of 5-4.

"This game was lost just purely on us not taking advantage of our lead," said Hornet goaltender, sophomore Christian Walsh. "We sat back on the goal we had…we just got a little lazy."

Hornet coach Tom Bowen said the team missed valuable opportunities to put the game away.

"When you have three breakaways and you can't score and so many other opportunities but just couldn't finish them, you allow a team to stay in the game. That's what we did and it cost us the game," Bowen said.

The Hornets were the first team to get on the board when sophomore right winger Justin Ellison scored less than four minutes into the game. He was assisted by junior center Chase Turner and freshman defenseman Raymond Gsell.

Aggie sophomore defenseman Charlie Cohn scored the next two goals a little more than two minutes apart early in the second period to take the lead. Senior defenseman Steven Gribble assisted him on the first and senior forward Ben Dines assisted him on the second.

Hornet junior defenseman Brian Hubbert scored an unassisted goal on a slap shot from the point to tie the game up. The Hornets took the lead when senior defenseman Nick Navas scored on a wrist shot with a minute and a half remaining in the second period. The goal was assisted by senior center Kevin Bean and sophomore right winger Kyle Klaski.

After the intermission, Aggie junior defenseman Eric Wulfmeyer scored early in the third period to make the score 3-3. Aggie freshman forward Keisuke Teeple scored five minutes later, assisted by Wulfmeyer, to take the lead at 4-3.

The Hornets answered back when Gsell shot the puck on target and junior center Ryan Siler scored on the rebound with nine minutes left in the game.

The excitement of the goal was forgotten when Teeple scored a power play goal to give the Aggies the lead and eventually the game.

"Truthfully, we outplayed them. They scored some fluke goals and we couldn't put the puck in the net. Story of our season really," said sophomore left winger Sam Danovich.

The Hornets beat the Aggies Saturday night 4-3.

"The guys came out and knew what they had to do (Saturday). They knew what they did wrong the night before and they came out and did it right this time," said Hornet junior center Ryan Siler.

Penalty killing was a problem for the Hornets Friday. The team allowed three power play goals for that game but only one on Saturday night.

"Penalty killing was awesome. That's what we had trouble with last night," Siler said. "That's where they got most of their goals and it's what led to the loss last night."

The Hornets dashed out of the gate Saturday night scoring a goal less than four minutes into the game off the stick of senior center Kevin Bean.

Teeple tied the game up when he scored a power play goal on a rebound less than five minutes later. The Aggies took the lead early in the second period when freshman winger Alex Sloan was credited with a goal after Walsh misplayed the puck allowing it to slip by him.

Siler knotted the game at 2-2 when he scored a goal when the Aggies' sophomore goaltender Jonathan Drinnan was caught outside the crease. Siler credited his teammate, sophomore winger Kyle Klaski, for getting him the puck allowing him to score.

"Kyle Klaski worked his butt off to get that puck to me. That guy deserves all the credit…I was just in the right place at the right time," Siler said.

Turner scored less than five minutes into the third period on a wrist shot assisted by Gsell. It took the Aggies less than a minute to answer back and tie up the game again when Teeple scored his second goal of the game.

The Hornets got the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal when Gsell made an athletic move to get by a defender and hit a wrist shot by Drinnan.

"I just took the puck and saw a lane open I made one toe drag real quick and slid it in," Gsell said.

Bowen made some key changes in the lineup Saturday night playing junior Jamison Meikle as a defenseman and moving Gsell to center.

"He wanted to shake things up," Siler said. "Moving Gsell up was definitely a plus. (Jamison) did a real good job on defense delivering some hard hit and Gsell put in the game winner."

The Hornets will not play a game again until Jan. 12 when they host the Fresno State Bulldogs at 7 p.m. at the Skate Town Ice Arena.

Andrew Eggers can be reached at aeggers@statehornet.com

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