Ice hockey is a fast-paced sport that includes two teams of five players on the ice. Every player at full attention, eyes and skates dancing across the ice as they collide and shove one another, chasing a rubber puck with only one goal in mind—score. And score Oregon did.
When two teams are evenly matched in skill, it is hard for one to come out on top in the end. But, for the Oregon Ducks hockey club it was a breeze.
Oregon (9-18) faced the Boise State’s Royals this weekend for its last set of games for the 2024-2025 season. The Ducks had a three-game losing streak coming into their game against the Royals, determined to break the streak and win both games for their seniors on senior weekend.
With the previous losses the Ducks had at home, nerves were clear coming into the weekend. But Oregon was successful in achieving its goal, snatching the wins right from underneath the Royals with an 8-2 victory for Friday's game and a 6-2 win for Saturday’s game. Both games were tense and action packed, fights erupting in multiple periods over the course of the two games.
Oregon was first to get onto the board in both games, scoring within minutes of the first period. Forward Jackson Henningsgard scored two goals, seconds after each other, two-and-a-half minutes into the Ducks’ first game on Friday. This feat set the momentum the Ducks wanted to start their game. From there, three more goals were scored from players Dylan Chapman, Charlie Maher and Noah Easterson within just the first period.
Energy was high the entire game. Fans erupted in cheers and banged on the glass after every goal and the players seemed to have fed off it, channeling it into their plays.
“The fans always come out no matter what day it is,” senior Nicholas Slayton said. “It definitely brings the energy. It's always loud in the rink. I think it helps us and hurts the other team. It’s an advantage to have such a passionate fanbase.”
For the rest of the game on Friday, the Ducks used the energy out on the bleachers wisely and continued to dominate and score in each period, earning two more goals in the second and one at the end of the third. Oregon seemed to channel whatever energy they generated on Friday and replicate it in Saturday’s game.
The Ducks managed, yet again, to get on the scoreboard first in the first period on Saturday, with a goal from Slayton. The first period went smoothly from there, until a fight broke out after a hard check into the boards. A Ducks player and a Royals player were both ejected from the game, only eight minutes into the first.
This moment seemed to establish a power struggle between Boise State and Oregon, both fighting for dominance over the ice. Two more fights followed after that, stringing along into the second period.
Due to the high intensity the Ducks faced on the ice, they were determined to get as many goals as they could, scoring half of their points just in the second period. Barak Bravslavski, James Gagan and Henningsgard were the main goal scorers in the second, turning to the crowd as they roared in cheers after their goals, gloved hands cupped around their ears, encouraging the fans to be louder.
When it came to tension and showcasing power on the ice, Oregon held its heads up high and displayed its dominance on home ice, showing the Royals who really owned the game this weekend.
“These guys were out here trying to prove something,” senior Henry Andres said when asked if the aggression he faced on the ice impacted his play in any way. “We knew we were better than them. We kept our heads for the most part. Fighting wasn’t worth it.”
Tension was at an all-time high throughout the latter half of the game. Shoves and penalties were flying left and right, players rotating in and out of the penalty box like a revolving door. The fans and players alike didn’t seem to mind as it was only more fuel to add to the growing fire.
“Anytime you get a team that pushes back like that, you want to play harder and get right back at them,” senior Tobin Fix said. “I think we did a good job of that—capitalizing when we could and scoring right after they did.”
For the remaining last minutes of the game, Oregon continued to fight off the Royals and keep them on defense, their last line being stuck on the ice for multiple minutes. When the buzzer rang, signaling the end of the game, all Ducks players hopped on the ice and embraced their teammates, cheers and tears erupting as they secured their final win of the season.
The challenges Oregon faced with Boise State seemed to be motivation enough for the Ducks to push themselves harder on the ice and continuously show them who’s the bigger person in the game. The Ducks didn’t have the greatest season, losing a majority of their home and away games. That still didn’t deter them from playing their heart out over the weekend and securing two wins to close off their season.
The aggression shown on the ice this weekend by both teams truly displayed their love for the sport, as well as their desire to win. By Oregon coming out on top, it only proved that no matter what a Duck is faced with, the only way is to come out victorious.