Outliers vs Eagles Weekend Preview

This weekend, the Utah Outliers face off against the Colorado Jr. Eagles in Fort Collins, CO in this week’s WSHL marquee matchup. The Eagles are coming hot off of a weekend against the Cheyenne Stampede. The Eagles beat the Stampede in both games, ultimately outscoring them 16-0 on the weekend. The two victories brought the Eagle’s record to 3-2-0 for the 2017-18 WSHL season.

The Eagles are led by veteran Captain Carter Dahl (‘96) and Assistant Captain Vincent Mastrandrea (‘97), both with 6 points so far this season. Rookie Eric Hildebrand (‘99) is also leading the charge, with 6 points in just 4 games. Both goaltenders for the Eagles have shown a strong start to the season, with Braden Lajoie (‘98) posting a 90.2 save percentage, and Hunter Bancroft (‘99) carrying an 87.8%.

The Outliers, who notched their first victory of the season on Saturday against Ogden, are looking to improve their record with wins in the three-game series this upcoming weekend. So far this season, Brandon Krumpschmid (‘97) is leading the Outliers in scoring. Krumpschmid had 5 points last weekend, and was the only goal-scorer for Utah in their win on Saturday, when he buried a natural hat-trick. Zack Hoffman (‘98) and Gianni Vitali (‘97) are following close behind, both with 4 points on the season to date. The Outliers saw points added by 12 players last weekend, and they hope to continue to see offense as a committee from all areas of the roster. The Outliers will welcome back Captain Jacob Wanstrom (’97), who is returning to the line-up Friday after serving a one-game suspension.

This series of games is a much-anticipated match up for the Outliers. The players believe the Eagles to be strong opponents and the games to be a great challenge, “I'm excited for another good competitive weekend. Playing the Eagles on the road will be a big test for our team. I think that we'll have some momentum coming off a good win in Ogden and a solid week of practice. We want to be considered a top team in the league so this matchup will show us where we are at,” Brandon Krumpschmid said about the upcoming weekend. Assistant Captain, Zack Hoffman added, “Our team is looking forward to the three-game series against Colorado. They have a reputation of being a tough opponent to play against. I have high expectations for our team and we will come ready to play”.

Outliers Head Coach Paul Taylor said, “It should be a very competitive series versus Colorado. They are well coached and they always have a balanced team that works very hard. This will be another good test for our group. I thought we looked a lot better defensively on Saturday against Ogden and we will need to continue that against the Eagles to have success”.

The Outliers versus Eagles series is certainly shaping up to be a huge weekend for both teams. Each team boasts strong goaltending, a tough defense, and strong offensive firepower. Outlier’s starting goaltender Dawson Rodin (‘98) has a 92% save percentage on the season, making 92 saves on 100 shots against Ogden last weekend.

Games this weekend will take place at NOCO Ice Center in Fort Collins, Colorado. Games will be played on Friday, October 6th at 7:45 pm, Saturday, October 7th at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, October 8th at 12:00 pm. Best of luck to the Outliers in the upcoming weekend in bringing home three solid wins against a challenging opponent.

By Carly Tashman