LONG BEACH, Calif. - Taking their talents out to California, the East Texas Baptist University Hockey team returned home with three wins over California's top club hockey teams in the Cali Classic in Long Beach. The victories in California continues ETBU's historic start at 13-0.
On Friday night, the Tigers defeated California State-Northridge, 4-3, in overtime.  ETBU was led by Sophomore Filip Soderstrom, who finished with two goals, including the overtime winner.  Freshman Timmy Zittel and Junior Ryan Gruszka each added a goal in the win. 
 
The Tigers beat California State-Fullerton on Saturday afternoon, 5-2.  Soderstrom, Gruszka, Sophomore Davis Van Gemerden and Freshmen Jimmy Beirne and Matt Duncan all scored in the game, while Van Gemerden and Soderstrom each added two assists. 
 
ETBU continued their best start in program history on Sunday, with a 9-1 win against Long Beach State.  Zittel had a hat trick in the win, while Soderstrom and Junior Riley Knott added two goals.  In addition Duncan, Senior Skyler Spiller, and Freshman Brendan Laing added goals.  Soderstrom chipped in with four assists on the day, while Duncan and VanGemerden added two apiece.
 
Soderstrom led ETBU on the weekend, finishing with four goals and six assists, while Zittel added four goals as well.
 

---

Game 1: ETBU 4, CSUN 3 (OT)
Just 17 seconds into the contest, the Matadors would pick up the first goal of the game, but the Tigers would respond with a goal from Zittel (11:39) to tie up the game. Before the first period ended, Gruszka would provide the lead with 29 seconds to play. CSUN started the second period with another first-minute goal (19:46) to tie the game at two.
 
Around the halfway point, Soderstrom (10:55) would push the Tigers ahead with his first goal of the season. This lead would hold until 1:46 left in the period when the Matadors made it 3-3 as both teams entered the second intermission. Fitzgerald and CSUN's goaltender would each record a scoreless third period and the game went into overtime. Soderstrom then scored the game winning goal in OT that would end the contest to see ETBU at 11-0.
 

---

Game 2: ETBU 5, CSUF 2
The Titans would begin the game with a goal at 12:12 to take the early lead. ETBU's Duncan (3:31) would respond nine minutes later to tie up the score into the first intermission. It would be the second period that would prove to be the difference as the Tigers ran off three straight goals for a 4-1 lead in the first half of the period. While Beirne (18:04) and Van Gemerden (14:33) had even strength goals, Gruszka's (12:54) would come on a power play.
 
ETBU would keep the lead as they would hold off a Titans' rally by the end of the period CSUF would cut the deficit to 4-2 with 11:49 to go in the game. Domas would keep the two-goal lead as he and the Tigers applied pressure on CSUF's offensive approach. Only a goal from Soderstrom (4:06) secured the win and moved the winning streak to 12.
 

---

Game 3: ETBU 9, LBSU 1
The Tigers would start the scoring with four first period goals. Zittel would score the first goal 39 seconds into the game and the last goal at 3:49. Skyler Spiller (16:51) and Soderstrom (8:50) would add on to the period for a 4-0 lead.
 
The second period saw ETBU score five straight goals to have a 9-0 lead. Knott (15:06), Laing (12:07), and Duncan (10:26) tallied their first goals in the first part of the period. Then, Knott (6:59) would net his second 16 seconds before Zittel (6:43) would get his hat trick. ETBU would only concede a 49er goal with eight seconds to play in the second period. Neither side would score in the third period as ETBU would leave California with a 3-0 record.
 
The Tigers will resume their season on November 1st-2nd when they take on Texas Christian University in Euless, Texas. Game 1 will be at 7:00 PM while Game 2 will be at 5:00 PM.