LETHBRIDGE, AB –In a back and forth affair, the UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team dropped a 4-3 shootout decision to the Lethbridge Pronghorns in Canada West regular season action on Friday night.
The Thunderbirds gave up a two-goal second period lead before tying the game and sending it into overtime.
UBC drops to 1-0-2 on the year while Lethbridge improves to 1-1.
Pronghorns Captain Dustin Moore led the comeback with a pair of goals, including the tying goal late in the second period and the go ahead goal with just over six minutes remaining. Former Medicine Hat Tiger Taylor Gal had the other 'Horns marker and finished with a three point night.
Mark Desloges (5th, Vancouver, BC),
Michael Wilgosh (1st, Selkirk, MB) and
Justin McCrae (3rd, Cochrane, AB) responded for the Thunderbirds.
Desloges scored the lone goal in the opening frame, intercepting a 'Horns pass in the neutral zone, breaking in on his forehand side, and beating 'Horns goaltender Scott Bowles short side only two minutes into the contest. The 'Horns held a slim 11-9 shot advantage through the first period.
While on their third power play of the second period, the Thunderbirds would manage to double their lead after a long stretch of play where both teams struggled to get anything going offensively. Wilgosh deflected
Ben Schmidt's point shot past a screened Bowles.
The T-Birds second goal seemed to awaken the 'Horns, controlling the remainder of the period. Gal got the 'Horns on the board outwaiting the UBC net-minder and lifting it up and over the sprawled
Jordan White (3rd, Surrey, BC).
On a power play of their own late in the second frame, Moore tied the score collecting a juicy rebound, squeezing it between White's arm and body.
With only 20 minutes remaining, the 'Horns rode the momentum from the second period into the third, peppering White early but could not solve him. Off another rebound, Moore gave the 'Horns their first lead of the game, but they would not hold the lead for long.
Immediately off the centre ice face off, the T-Birds attacked the 'Horns looking for the equalizer. After a impressive post-to-post save from Bowles, McCrae picked up his own rebound to force overtime.
After five minutes of 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 solved nothing and both goaltenders turned away the first four shooters in the shootout, while sophomore Dan Iwanski would score in the fifth round. Iwanski outwaited White, flipping the puck back and over White's pad.
Max Grassi (3rd, North Vancouver, BC) had one last chance to force the shootout into sudden death, but Bowles flashed the glove to seal the victory.
White was the busier of the two goaltenders, finishing with 38 saves, while Bowles finished the night with 29 stops.
The T-Birds and 'Horns will conclude the weekend series tomorrow night at Nicholas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge, puck drops at 7:00pm.
The game can be viewed at www.canadawest.tv
- with files from Eoin Colquhoun (Lethbridge Sports Information Director)
