Midseason injuries are adding up for Aggies

The Aggies are 10 weeks into the 2018-2019 hockey season, and as they get closer to the halfway mark, the injuries are starting to add up. Starting today, the team's already short roster will have to play with the least players available so far this season at the Beehive Showcase at the Eccles Ice Center. 

Top defenseman Trace Farr is suffering from mononucleosis. Another key defensive player, Keegan O’Brien, is out for two weeks because of a pneumothorax — an air pocket around his lung. Hunter Wood has a broken rib. Austin Moser is still recovering from tearing his ACL and MCL at the last home game in the 2017-2018 season.


But Utah State’s head coach CJ Westlake isn’t concerned.
“We’ll be down two more guys,” Westlake said, “but we were down two guys in the Weber game last week, too.”
The Aggies came out of that game with a 6-3 win over the Wildcats, but the Aggies will be down more players this weekend.
“It gives an opportunity for other players to get time on the ice,” Westlake said. “It hurts. We’re a short bench anyway, but we’re prepared for it.”
The problem is not one the Aggies will face alone this weekend. Ken Fikis, head coach for the University of Northern Colorado, said at this point in the season, “every team is in the same boat with injuries.”
Due to the second line goaltender’s torn ACL, an MVP-defensemen’s torn rotator cuff, and another defensive player out on concussion protocol, the Bears will play with a roster of only 19 players at the tournament. This will be especially problematic as Fikis said they play a more defensive game.
“It’s a challenge,” Fikis said. “But our boys are used to adversary.”
The Aggies play the Bears on Saturday at 7 p.m., in USU’s third game of the Showcase. The full schedule is available at https://www.facebook.com/events/282652122456882/.

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