The Western Washington University men’s hockey team won both games over the Idaho Vandals this weekend, extending its win streak to 10 as the halfway point in the season approaches.
The Vikings built on a dominant season with two victories at the Bellingham Sportsplex this past weekend, sweeping both games in the series by a combined score of 22-6.
“The way I thought about this weekend and the last weekend, it’s the closest thing to game practice that we’re going to be able to get,” said Patrick Pierson, Vikings captain. “These are teams that we should be beating like this without question. So, taking this opportunity to work on the small things … that’s kind of the goal of these last couple weekends.”
The Vikings have completely flipped form from last season. After finishing with a 5-13 record last season, they boast the second-best record in the Division II PAC, currently 12-1-0, and 7-1-0 in PAC 8 play.
Head Coach Adam Segaar highlighted some of the changes that have led to the flip in form this season.
“It’s 100% bringing in the talent that we’ve brought in, but with that being said, with bringing that kind of talent in, you bring in confidence to the other players,” said Segaar. “And I’m seeing a lot of confident players, guys being competitive, guys being reliable, coming to practice every day. They’re hungry.”
The Vikings have been led by former Western Hockey League player Andrew Fan, who transferred to Western in the offseason, and has immediately made an impact on the team. Fan has contributed 17 goals and 34 assists for a total of 51 points this season, leading the PAC 8.
“I got to give a shoutout to my linemates,” Fan said. “I mean, Aaron James, Brent Brumbaugh, those guys are absolutely amazing. They make my life a lot easier on the ice, so I would not be able to succeed how I am now without those guys.”
Fan isn’t the only change so far this year, however. Pierson, a five-year veteran of the program, has noticed major changes in the team’s mentality this year.
“I think we brought in a lot of really good talent this year,” Pierson said. “We’re walking into these games, knowing that we’re going to win, not that we have a chance at winning.”
Assistant captain Jackson Wojcicki, a four-year veteran of the program, also commented on the increased focus on the team from previous years.
“I think having one solidified goal as a team (helped),” Wojcicki said. “Hockey’s a very weird sport, where there’s a lot of things moving at once, and having a team-oriented goal that everyone can strive for has really had an impact on our team and solidified our place in our league.”
The Vikings also share a special relationship with the community, hosting various fan theme nights, including most recently a costume night for the Halloween game, and a “Star Wars”-themed night for the game on Nov. 1.
“We aren’t Western hockey without fans,” Segaar said. “I just want to give the bug of hockey to everybody and just let them enjoy and see our environment.”
The Vikings will be back in action this week at the Sportsplex, returning to PAC 8 play against the University of California, San Diego for a two-game series on Friday and Saturday, followed by a second two-game series against the University of California, Berkeley on Sunday and Monday.
Christian Larrañaga (he/him) is a Sports and Recreation reporter for The Front. He is in his second year at Western, majoring in Visual Journalism, and is in his first quarter at The Front. Christian spends his time in the outdoors, playing soccer or hanging out with friends. You can reach him at christianlarranaga.thefront@gmail.com.
