Line systems will determine game against BYU, but Aggies' coaches aren’t worried

For the first time in as long as Brigham Young University has been playing the Utah State hockey team, the Cougars have enough depth to run four full lines against their opponents, wearing them down for the Cougars to strike.
But the Aggies have similar systems.
USU’s head coach CJ Westlake said matching lines will be a huge factor in the outcome of the game on Friday, but he’s unfazed.
“BYU’s an incredibly aggressive team,” Westlake said. “They’ve got set systems, but with aggressive play like that, you can fall out of the systems if you’re not careful.”
Morgan McJimsey, an assistant coach for USU who Westlake complimented for the success in matching the Utes’ lines in the game on Saturday, said he’s not worried “in the slightest.”
“When we played BYU earlier this season we were still trying to figure out our identity,” McJimsey said, ”and I feel we have found it after this past game against Utah. We had to run through all our lines due to injuries and equipment malfunctions, and each line rose to the occasion.”
Cougars’ head coach Dave Pitcher said even though Utah State is a tough team, BYU’s players have been holding their own against the division’s Top 5, like at Boise State on Saturday.
“We’ve been able to hold off the first period, and then come out strong,” Pitcher said. “We use our four lines to wear down the teams playing their first two lines.”
Westlake isn’t bothered by the Cougar’s line-depth, especially after the Aggies’ 5-4 OT win against the Utes — a Division I team — Saturday.
“Our top two lines versus their top two lines?” Westlake said. “Our line will take the cake. They’ve got a lot more experience.”

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