Sports

LBSU scores 22 against Toreros

Luke Miller raised his arms at the side of the net after his second whack at a rebound went over the goalie’s shoulder and into the top of the net. The goal put Long Beach (2-1) up 5-0, essentially ending the game with 3:21 left in the first period. LBSU went on to win 22-1.

The 49ers moved into sole possession of 2nd place in the West Coast Hockey Conference with the win. San Diego is in its first year as a club hockey program and was undermanned to begin with.

University of San Diego (0-3) did not record its first shot on goal until 9:00 of the first. Two minutes later, Long Beach scored two goals in less than 15 seconds courtesy of Nico Santoro and Ryan Osterkamp. The two forwards combined for goals twice in the first period with each recording three points in the frame.  

The first of those goals came on a passing play at 11:22 of the first. Osterkamp sent the puck behind the net to forward Matthew Hoeksema who quickly slipped it in front to Santoro for the one-timer to put Long Beach up 2-0.

“It just felt really nice and really clean,” Osterkamp said.

Long Beach then layed on the hits to put USD out of their game. The Toleros became more interested in retaliating physically than in fighting back on the scoreboard.

“I feel like we have decent size. We do well when we move our feet and finish out hits, so that’s the game we try to play,” said head coach Frank Mitrano.

Even after a USD player was ejected for illegal contact to the head, Long Beach kept its professional clinic going without losing its cool. Miller scored his second of the night seconds after the ejection to make it a 6-0 game.

After the ejection, the Toleros had just a three-player bench while Long Beach had a full roster.

“I thought [San Diego] played well, they just gassed out,” Mitrano said.

The 49ers were less disciplined in the second, taking three penalties in the first nine minutes of the period. Regardless, San Diego did not record a shot on any of the three power-plays.

“We just need to do a better job of sticking to the basics,” Mitrano said.

San Diego finally got on the scoreboard in the third period. Brett Roenick broke into the zone on right wing and unleashed a laser of a wrist shot over the shoulder of goalie Adam Moroz.

Defenseman Evan Rusch and Santoro each scored their first goals of the season Saturday.

The game was the second straight win for the 49ers. They have won their last two games by a combined score of 39-1.

The 49ers next game is at 7:35 p.m. Thursday on the road against USC.

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