Eastern Washington University men’s hockey coach Bill Shaw liked the looks of thing a lot more this week following a 3-0 shutout win over the University of Victoria last Friday at the University Recreation Center.
The Eagles got single goals from Tanner Hawes, Matt Hanson and Paxton Bell – one in each period – all at even strength to even their record at 1-1. Bell also added an assist in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League home opener for EWU.
“I was really pleased with our first and third periods,” Shaw said, referring to productive shots on goal advantages of 22-6 and 18-6 respectively. “We controlled the play and our shots pretty much show it.”
The Eagles opened league play by taking a 7-2 thumping from the Selkirk Saints, Oct. 4 in Castlegar, British Columbia.
U-Vic was on the second night of a two-game trip to the eastern parts of the BCIHL and suffered a 5-0 loss to defending champion Selkirk the night before.
Shaw thought his team should have taken advantage of the Vikings’ tired legs. “We had a team playing the second game on a long road swing and we kind of let them off in the second when I felt we could have put the game out of reach,” Shaw said.
Jason Greenwell stopped all 15 shots he faced to earn the win.
“Bottom line on the win is that we won a game we were supposed to and we have to be happy with that,” Shaw said.
The Eagles will be on the road this weekend for a pair of games Friday and Saturday at Trinity Western College in Langley, British Columbia. Eastern remains on the road for a pair of exhibition games at Williston College in North Dakota, Oct. 26-27 and return home to meet Trinity, Friday, Nov. 1 at the URC.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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