It was a big weekend for the Lions, who won the WCHC Conference championship for the first time in team history, and swept USC to win and keep the Century Cup.
On Friday night, unfortunately UCSB had to forfeit due to covid. With the victory, the Lions finished WCHC season play and with a perfect 6-0-0 WCHC record, winning their first WCHC Championship. Having appeared in two previous championship games, the Lions ran away with the conference win going undefeated in league.
On Saturday the Lions looked to wrap up another championship as they headed down to USC. The Century Cup, a yearly best of three series vs USC, awards the winner the trophy. It’s a fun and important yearly competition against a cross town rival of two teams with the oldest hockey tradition in Los Angeles.
The Lions started out the scoring, as Austin Billings netted two, with Manzer picking up a third for the Lions to take a 3-1 lead to the first intermission. In the second, the Lions were on fire, with Hirai, Kilkenny, Manzer, Engstrom and Billings all scored to lead 8-1 after two. The Lions would three more goals in the third and won the game 11-2. In his third start, freshman Steven Fitzer remained perfect and is 3-0-0 on the season.
The Lions have now won the Century Cup 9 times in 12 tries.
The Lions have one more game this regular season, as they host SDSU, Saturday 2/12 at 5:50 pm.