SASKATOON - With a 1-1 tie against the Saskatchewan Huskies at Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park the UBC Thunderbirds were able to solidify the second spot on the Canada West Table.
The tie helped the Huskies, who entered the game two points ahead of the Trinity Western University Spartans, and needed to stay undefeated on the weekend. The tie moves the Huskies to 6-4-3 good for 21 points. Trinity Western, who tied 0-0 against the first place University of Alberta Golden Bears, sits at 5-4-4 with 19 points.
Trinity and Saskatchewan will face off Sunday in Saskatoon. A win or a tie would nail down the fourth and final playoff position for the Huskies. A loss for the Huskies, would give Trinity Western the spot. It would be the first time since 1999, that the Huskies have earned a playoff spot.
The draw movs the T-Birds to 8-2-3 on the season in sole possession of second place, four points ahead of the Calgary Dinos, who play Fraser Valley later on Saturday.
T-Bird leading scorer
Gagan Dosanjh counted fo rhis side his in the 22nd minute. UBC was on a rush into the Huskies zone, when Dosanjh, who had the ball on a string, drilbbled througgh two Huskies defenders before beating keeper Mark Diakiw with a ball into the corner of the net.
UBC held the lead until the 77th minute when conference leading goal scorer Jerson Barandica-Hamilton sent the ball into the top corner on a free kick for his 10th goal of the season.
The Huskies had the best chance to break the tie in extra time when Josh Northey found himself alone in front of an empty net. But his shot just missed wide.
Diakiw made four saves for the Huskies, while T-Bird keeper
Richard Meister also made four at the other end of the pitch. Saskatchewan outshot UBC 10-9.
The T-Birds travel to Edmonton on Sunday to face the first place Alberta Golden Bears, who clinched hosting rights of the canada West final four thanks to the draw between Huskies and Thunderbirds. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. PST.
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