Although WSU was swept by the Huskies earlier this season, ending with a record of 0-4 against them, this Friday’s game should prove to be an exciting one. Both teams boast quality talent and depth on their rosters.
The UW squad is stacked with serious talent, led by sophomore forward Brendan Leung. The Huskies’ young offensive weapon is not only the Pacific division point leader (44), but the goal leader (33) as well. Leung’s assist total sees a sharp drop off with 11, but to say that Leung is a serious threat on the ice is an understatement.
Through 24 games he averages 1.83 points per game making it almost guaranteed for him to get on the board almost twice every night. It will be hard to watch this Friday’s game and not see the name Leung somewhere on the score sheet.
Additionally, UW’s assist leader, sophomore forward Cameron Brit, is a dynamic threat with 22 assists this season. Brit has a similar offensive punch to Leung, Brit averages 1.33 points, making it highly likely for the young star to pick up at least one point in this Friday’s matchup.
Although Brit leads the Huskies in assists, he has put up 32 points total ranking him second on the team and 15th in the division. Brit sits 12 points and 13 ranks behind Leung’s position at the top of the division. Leung is in a league all by himself and is the clear leader of the team.
UW also has a pair of stone walls between the pipes. Freshmen goalies Cedric Ho and Jonah Nash serve as the backbone for the Husky defense with Ho repping a 0.943 save percentage and Nash a 0.930. Regardless of who is in the net, both goaltenders will pose a tough challenge for the WSU offense and make it tough for the Cougars to get on the board.
On the Cougars’ side of the ice, sophomore forward Cole Carlson has been putting on a show for WSU hockey fans. Carlson not only leads the team in points (40), but he also leads in points per game, assists, goals, shorthanded goals and power-play goals. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound pure-blooded Canadian has played with a hot stick ever since the start of 2025.
Carlson is fifth in the division in points and assists, eighth in goals and 10th in points per game, one spot shy of UW’s Leung. With an average of 1.82 points, Carlson will be hungry to get on the score sheet not once, but possibly twice in Friday’s clash.
Alongside Carlson on the first line is junior forward and team captain Miles Seguin. The Seattle native has 17 goals and 15 assists, ranking 10th in goals and 21st in assists in the division. Seguin’s chemistry with his linemates, Carlson and Ian Gould, is evident each shift they play together. The team captain always finds himself with the puck on his stick and excels at setting up offensive opportunities for his teammates.
A recent stat sheet riser, and a name to look out for, is junior forward Van Rayner. With 17 points this season, Rayner sits at fourth on the WSU squad and serves as the cornerstone of the Cougs’ third line. Coupled with junior forward Kam Fredrick and senior forward Jack Morrell, this third line has been deadly on the ice. They kept the team competitive through all three periods and were especially productive in the Gonzaga series at the start of 2025, where Rayner and Fredrick each picked up two goals.
While UW boasts a talented young star in Leung and two quality goalies, the Cougs bring a more balanced roster to the rink. With a first line that has strong chemistry to a penalty kill capable of shutting down strong offenses, this WSU team looks playoff-ready. The eight teams in the Pacific Division will face off on Friday for the first round. The matchups will be as follows:
UC Berkely vs. UC San Diego
WSU vs. UW
San Jose State vs. Western Washington
Southern California vs. Eastern Washington
The semifinal games will be played on Saturday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and the Pac-8 championship game will be on Sunday at 11 a.m. All games will be played at the Eastern Washington Recreation Ice Rink.
