Polar Bears Win Season Opener, Gear Up for First PCHA Match

With last week’s 7-2 win over UC Berkeley still lingering on the ice, the SRJC hockey team will welcome its first division opponent of the season to Snoopy’s Home Ice tonight looking for another exciting victory.

The reigning Pacific Collegiate Hockey Association Champions will take on SJSU’s Division III squad tonight, a team the Polar Bears haven’t seen in competition since the 2011-12 season. In two games that year, SRJC outscored San Jose State 30-4.

While most of the point leaders from those matchups have moved on from SRJC, the team is confident its current roster will fare just as well. With its opening night win, the Polar Bears showed they know the right combination for success.

In the Berkeley game, 10 players scored points, including three each for leading forwards Josiah Nikkel and Adam Johnson. Five players- Matt Sullivan, Brandon Bronze, Ben Rivera, Jimmy Reed and Brian Cochran- each scored their first point in a Polar Bears uniform.

SRJC may have looked a little unsteady in the first few minutes, but for their first game back on the ice after a seven month offseason, the team is encouraged by its play and determined going forward.

“The team played really well against Berkeley,” said forward Chris Whitten, whose second period goal put SRJC up 5-1. “There was some rust left over from the offseason, but in practice this week we focused on structure and positioning. Now we can get everyone on the same page and work better as a unit.”

The Polar Bear’s defense of the PCHA championship title begins tonight at 8:30 p.m. at Snoopy’s Home Ice. As always, admission is free.

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