Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Daniel Herberholz Two SJSU hockey players fight for the puck Tuesday during practice.

Coming off seven straight wins, including three on last weekend's trip to Southern California, the SJSU club hockey team will host its 14th annual Royal Coach Tours Gold Rush Showcase this weekend.

The showcase will also feature Boise State (5-18), San Diego State (14-12) and Texas A&M (15-8), said SJSU hockey head coach Ron Glasow.

The Spartans (22-10) are currently ranked fifth in the Division II West region, according to American Collegiate Hockey Association's Web site.

Senior wing and Captain Mickey Rhodes said the teams ranked third to tenth will move on to the ACHA West Regional tournament. The regional tournament winners will then join the West region's first two seeds at the national tournament in Connecticut.

The Spartans have already secured a spot in the tournament, Glasow said.

"San Diego (State) and Texas A&M are 11th and 13th, so they basically have to beat us to go to regionals," said senior wing Steven Stichler.

"So we're going to be walking around with a target on our backs."

Glasow said he sees Texas A&M as the toughest opponent. Rhodes and Stichler said they have their eyes on San Diego State.

"San Diego (State) and us have a big rivalry, we almost got into a fight in the handshake line last time," Rhodes said, referring to a game in October.

"I would love to shut them up," Stichler said of San Diego State.

SJSU hopes to utilize the forward play its had all season to win, said center Andy Dickerson. Rhodes and Glasow agreed.

"Our team's greatest strength is balance at the forward position," Rhodes said. "Ninety percent of the time we're just rolling four (forward) lines, not just matching up against teams because we feel like even our fourth line can match up against their first line."

"We've got guys sitting out every game that could play second, third, fourth lines," Glasow said.

Glasow said that losing forward Sean Scarbrough has not slowed down the team's play. Scarbrough became the team's all-time leading goal scorer and points leader while playing from 2004 to 2009, according the team's Web site.

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