USC hosts Pac-8 intercollegiate hockey championship

Intercollegiate ice hockey comes to Orange County on Friday and Saturday as USC hosts the Pacific-8 Hockey Conference championship at The Rinks – Anaheim Ice in downtown Anaheim.

USC, Arizona State, California, UCLA, Oregon and Washington will compete for the conference title.

“We’re excited to have the PAC-8 Tournament back in Southern California,” USC Coach Mark Wilbur said. “We last hosted in 2003, and this will be the first time that we’re hosting the tournament with a six-team format.”

Before the 2008-2009 season, only four teams qualified for the tournament.

The first puck drops at 9 a.m. Friday with the fifth-seeded Trojans taking on crosstown rival UCLA, seeded fourth. On Saturday, the championship and third-place games will be played. Here is the full schedule:

Friday – First Round

9 a.m. – UCLA vs. USC

9 a.m. – Arizona State vs. Cal

Friday – Second Round

4:30 p.m. – Fifth Place Consolation game (losing teams from first round)

7 p.m. – Washington vs. higher-seeded winning team from first round

7:30 p.m. – Oregon vs. lower-seeded winning team from first round

Saturday

4:45 p.m. – Third Place Consolation game

7:30 p.m. – Championship Game

-- Debbie Goffa