When boys’ hockey took on Eastview Jan. 2 at the Recreation Outdoor Center, coach Andrew Sackrison said the tight matchup allowed for an enjoyable game.

“It was a good hockey game. Great chances on both sides and great efforts for both sides,” Sackrison said. “Obviously would like to come out on the other side of it but can’t really fault the team’s effort or anything like that.”

Junior McCabe Dvorak said his teammate senior William Pinney’s performance throughout the game allowed the team to compete with Eastview.

“Pinney kept us in it. We could have played better and Pinney just kept us in it the whole way,” Dvorak said.

According to Sackrison, the exceptional play of both goalies and the equal talent levels of the teams kept the game close.

“Both goalies played really well, came up with huge saves, both keeping their teams in it,” Sackrison said. “We’re pretty evenly matched teams too, so I didn’t expect that it would be a blowout either way.”

Pinney said although outdoor games can be challenging, the team was able to pull through.

“It was difficult playing outside. The ice is different outside,” Pinney said. “Eastview is a really good team. I thought we handled it pretty well.”

According to Dvorak, despite the high quality of the rink, playing outside can be visually problematic at night. 

“It’s a great facility. The only thing is (when) the puck’s in the air and can’t really see it well. When it’s up it blends in with the dark at night,” Dvorak said.

According to Pinney, both teams struggled with the outdoor conditions, but it ultimately did not affect the level of competition.

“(The outdoor ice) definitely played a factor for both teams, so we can’t really make excuses on that, because both teams had to deal with it,” Pinney said.

Pinney said it’s important for the team to focus on maintaining their abilities, rather than their opponents’ level of play.

“We can’t play down to teams’ levels. We got to stay at our level, play consistent for the full 51 minutes,” Pinney said. “We’ve just got to make the plays like we do in practice.”

Boys’ hockey will face Chaska at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center.