Files from U of A Sports Information
EDMONTON - After two straight losses at home, including last night's 4-1 decision against the UBC Thunderbirds, the no. 2 University of Alberta Golden Bears split the weekend series and claimed their final regular season home game with a decisive 7-1 victory Saturday night at Clare Drake Arena.
Atoning early, the Bears scored at the 1:24 mark of the first period when former Saskatoon Blade Chad Klassen streaked down the left wing, ringing a shot off the far post that ricocheted right back out to Derek Ryan, who tapped the puck in for the opening score.
Forty-six seconds later, J.P. Szaszkiewicz, who scored the only goal for Alberta on Friday night, dumped the puck on net just before the UBC blueline, but netminder François Thuot attempted to field the puck with his stick, only to have it go through his legs and across the goal line.
On a two-man advantage for the Bears six minutes later, Thuot had no chance on a blistering one-timer by Reade Wolansky, making it three goals on seven shots in the first 8:36 of the game and chasing the Québec native from the UBC goal in favour of freshman goalkeeper
Jordan White.
The bounces still kept going Alberta's way, however, when a point shot blocked halfway to the net landed right in front of former Portland Trail Blazer Brian Woolger (4th, Edmonton), who pounced on the rebound to put the Bears up 4-0 after one.
The T-birds responded in the middle frame when the second star of Friday night's game,
Brennan Sonne, was just outside the Alberta crease and put a loose puck past freshman Travis Yonkman.
Unfortunately for the visitors, Dale Mahovsky and Lee Zalasky would assist on each other's tallies to make the score 6-1 at the end of two.
Ryan potted his second of the night in the third period to round out the scoring.
Both teams finish off their seasons on the road with Alberta heading west to face the Regina Cougars and UBC heading south from Edmonton to square off against the Calgary Dinos.
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