From The Daily Emerald
By Henry Light
The 2025-26 Oregon club hockey team vaulted into the program’s record books in its first win of the season on Oct. 31, setting a new record for goals scored against a Division 1 opponent in a 10-2 win over Oakland University.
It was a difficult road to that milestone for the Ducks, as they dropped three of their four non-ACHA games against teams traveling down from Canada to open the season, before being swept by Colorado State University in their first ACHA series in Fort Collins. The wins and increased contributions from the nine freshmen on the roster finally gave the Ducks a foundation to build from.
Oregon looked disorganized in the four non-ACHA games as the freshmen adapted to college hockey and learned third-year head coach Jack Hyman’s systems. The freshmen filled the scoresheet against the Logan Lake Miners in the last of the four games, as center Jackson Ebbott scored twice and defenseman Austin Kluksdahl recorded an assist, but two complete defensive breakdowns in the final five minutes allowed the Miners to split the series with a 5-3 win.
Oregon regathered some momentum in the front end of the doubleheader against the Rams when sophomore Dylan Chapman, who sits third on the team with six points through four games, opened the scoring. Chapman picked up a rebound off a defender in the high slot and ripped it into the top right corner to give the Ducks a lead 11:22 into the second period.
The Ducks were fortunate to find the opener after being outshot 25-8 in the first period, but with 2:20 remaining in the second, the Rams finally beat freshman goalie Thomas Cafarelli. Despite a heroic 44-save effort from Cafarelli, the Rams scored twice in the third period to secure a 3-1 win.
In game two, Oregon’s skaters once again asked too much of its goaltender, with sophomore George Serbin stopping 47 of the 51 shots he faced. This time, there was no early momentum on their side as Colorado State scored the first three goals in a 4-1 win.
The one bright spot for the Ducks outside the crease was freshman Inde Abresch, who scored his first career goal off an assist from senior Jackson Henningsgard. Early in the second period, Henningsgard tapped a loose puck out of the left corner to Abresch, who received the pass and dragged the puck toward the goal, completely changing the angle of the shot before burying it in the top left corner.
Abresch and Henningsgard have played on the same line to start the season, and it has paid off for the Ducks as the right wing and center are tied for the team lead with seven points. Oregon trailed 1-0 after the first period, de- spite outshooting Oakland 15-4. Henningsgard tied the game 57 seconds into the second period, but it took another 10 minutes for the Ducks to fully break through. By the end of the second, Oregon held a 5-2 lead and was outshooting the Golden Grizzlies 46-7. By the end of the 10-2 win, the Ducks outshot Oakland 80-9.
The Ducks started relatively slow once again in game two, leading 1-0 after the first period, courtesy of another Henningsgard goal. Oregon soon took over again, eventually taking an 8-1 win and outshooting the Golden Grizzlies 71-11. Freshmen Colin Gabriel and Zachary Orwig both broke through in Rochester, with Gabriel scoring his first three career goals and Orwig scoring his first two. Oregon also got more out of its seven-player sophomore class. Noah Easterson led with five points, while Alex Ulyanov and Axel Wyatt both recorded three.
Oregon will carry the momentum into two home games against Division 2 Washington on Nov. 14 and 15, before returning to Division 1 play the following weekend at the ACHA Chicago Classic in Romeoville, Illinois.
(Originally published at https://dailyemerald.com/174426/sports/oregon-club-hockey-returns-to-500-with-two-dominant-wins-over-oakland-university/#photo)
