Weber State University’s hockey team beat the Boise State Broncos 6–3 after a ‘sticks out’ stampede of organized chaos that was riddled with rowdy fans and highlight moments on Oct. 28.
The Wildcats then swept the weekend by beating Utah State 4–2 on Oct. 29.
Both Weber and Boise played with fast, fluid action, squeezing a whole season’s conditioning workouts into the short span of a single game.
Tyler Williams said the reason Weber’s team was playing so dramatically was because of the “peculiar level of energy produced from the fresh set of fans at the game.”
Weber took the memory of the famous fallen gorilla from the Cincinnati Zoo, Harambe, and turned it into the flame that ignited their path to victory on Friday.
“Sticks out for Harambe” shirts were sold for $10 as a fundraiser for the team.
Although the regular attendance at the game wasn’t particularly high, there was an abundance of new fans.
“The hype around tonight was a lot higher than usual than just a regular game,” Williams said. “Without fans in stands, it’s a lot harder to get excited, but that wasn’t a problem tonight.”
Like most teams, the Weber State hockey team feeds off of crowd energy.
“The fans provided such a good vibe tonight,” Williams said. “Everyone was really positive on the bench, and it shows when we’re on the ice.”
The excitement from the fans peaked when Weber’s heavy-handed Dakota Fox got into a scuffle with one of Boise State’s players.
Both players lost their helmets, and the crowd went wild, excited to see what was about to unfold before Fox was booted from the game for removing the opponent’s helmet.
“Everything comes with an appropriate manner,” Fox said after the game. “I’m out there to set a presence and a tone, and I’m here for the team. That’s who they need me to be, and I’m here to be what they need me to be.”
Despite the scuffle, Fox was impressed with the overall game play on the ice Friday night.
“I think the game went really well tonight,” Fox said. “It was a team game. It was ugly, but we came out with the W.”
Weber’s Dax Hobbs held the stick of destiny for the night, scoring four of the total six points.
Hobbs’ goals were frequently assisted by Troy Quarnberg who was constantly the driving force behind the offense, setting Hobbs and others up for success and finally twisting the knife on the Broncos’ night, scoring the final point only seconds before the game ended.
The Wildcats then took down the Aggies 4–2 on Oct. 29 in their Halloween game.
Fans who wore their Halloween costumes earned free admission.
As Weber State hockey looks to build on their four-game winning streak, they will take on the University of Wyoming on Nov. 2 and 3 at 7:30 p.m.
