SWEEP! Bruins Take First Two Games in Crosstown Cup
Arch rival USC has held the Crosstown Cup, awarded annually to the winner of the UCLA-USC five-game season-long series, for
four consecutive seasons and had won 8 of their last 9 games against the Bruins. This Bruins team sought to
reverse that recent history entering the opening two games of the series on Oct. 29th and 30th. When the final
buzzer sounded on the most significant weekend for the program in years, UCLA stormed the ice in celebration, having
secured two thrilling victories, putting themselves on the brink of their first Crosstown Cup since 2005.
Freshman Zach Tenney, playing in his first game as a Bruin, scored 1:45 into overtime on Thursday night to give the Bruins
a 5-4 win in a back-and-forth game one. Senior forward Alex Horowitz erupted for his first two goals of the season in the second
period, including one lacrosse-style goal in which he cradled the puck on his stick through the air from behind the net then fired
it into far-side of the goal, electrifying the UCLA home crowd and sending the Bruin bench into delirium. Other goal-scorers were
Neal Parsons, who opened the scoring, and Nick Panzica, whose goal tied the game 4-4 in the third period. The
overtime session was only possible with inspired Bruins defensive play in the final six minutes of regulation, which included
killing off three penalties and a penalty shot save by Al Ricciardelli.
Friday night's contest took a different tone, as the Bruins played excellent two-way hockey in piling up a
three goal lead, then held off a furious third period USC rally to record a 3-2 win. The forward line consisting of Daniel
Vaynter, Michael Carder, and Zach Tenney was dominant throughout, with each picking up a goal. Vaynter's third-period tally
was his first career goal against the Trojans and proved to be the game-winner.
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