UCLA hockey club hopes to win Crosstown Cup in games against USC

The Crosstown Cup began tonight and continues Friday with the first two of five matchups between UCLA and USC hockey clubs. The Trojans have held the cup since 2005, although the Bruins hope that victories in tonight’s and Friday’s games will help them reclaim the honor. Tonight’s game was at the Bruin’s home ice at the Valley Ice Center in Panorama City, where they hoped to bring out a rallying crowd of support. Friday’s game will be on Trojan turf at Anaheim.

“USC’s home rink is closer to campus and they pack out their facility,” assistant coach Matt Lester said. “When USC brings out a big fan base, they are rowdy and vocal.”

The Bruins have caught a glimpse of this year’s Trojan hockey line up and style of play, but it’s nothing they haven’t seen before from their rivals.

“Watching USC saw a lot of the same things: big, fast and physical, but they are not as deep,” Lester said. “They will come up against us with a lot more energy than Cal because of the rivalry.”

With no games for UCLA this past week, practices took on a heightened level of focus on and off the ice. The Bruins feel they can be more than competitive against the Trojans, but with excitement often comes butterflies.

“We have been going full contact in practice,” senior defenseman and club president Michael Madatovian said. “This game is definitely more important. They host three games, we host two.”

The first meeting of the crosstown rivals is expected to set the tone for the rest of the cup games. Lester said his team is focused and mentally prepared for tonight. As for USC’s style of play, “Dirty team, though it might just be the rivalry talking,” Lester said. “They are a typical USC sports team: They think they are better than everyone else. We are ready to take them down.”