Washington State will host an unfamiliar foe in Utah Valley at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Cheney, Wash. 

The Cougars are coming off a tough weekend against the University of Washington, being outscored 14-1. WSU has seen a fair shake of non-conference opponents as they are 5-4 this season in non-conference contests. However, Utah Valley has shown nothing but struggle all season.

Utah Valley will ride into Cheney,Washington with a winless record on the season. The Wolverines from the MWCHL conference stand at 0-13-1 and are playing their first regulated game since Nov. 23, 2025. They have been outscored 142-21 collectively this season, including multiple losses by 17 goals or more.

The Cougars have a massive offensive advantage coming into this battle. Their captain Cole Carlson and alternate captain Van Rayner have combined for 56 points, which is more than Utah Valley’s entire roster put together. The Cougs also have five players that have registered 15 points or more this season.

On the other end of the rink, UVU has struggled to put up an effective and consistent offense this season. Boston Vest has recorded six points this year, the most on the team. The Wolverine offense has averaged just 1.5 goals per game, recording only 1 goal in their last 180 minutes played.

Alexei Kuhl has registered well over 600 saves this season and with some help defensively could really stymie this UVU team. In between the other pipes, Brayden Baxter has recorded a .832 save percentage, allowing an average of 9.15 goals per game.

The Cougars hold a 12-13 total record on the year, looking to get back to a .500 win percentage. Utah Valley on the other hand has their eyes set on getting their first win of not only the new year, but the season in general.

With the Pac-8 playoffs just weeks away, UVU is just the beginning of a final push for the Cougs.