Lethbridge – After trailing 2-0 early into the second period, the UBC Thunderbirds rallied with five unanswered goals to skate away with the 5-3 victory over the Lethbridge Pronghorns. In the process the T-Birds earned the weekend split and won for the first time at Nicholas Sheran Arena since November 1, 2008.
The Thunderbirds improve to 2-0-2 on the season and the 'Horns drop to 1-2-0 after the loss.
UBC captain
Justin McCrae (3rd, Cochrane, AB) started the comeback, while
Cole Wilson (1st, White Rock, BC),
Michael Wilgosh (1st, Selkirk, MB),
Max Grassi (3rd, North Vancouver, BC) and
Scott Wasden (3rd, Westbank, BC) also scored for the T-Birds.
Taylor Gal responded with two goals for the 'Horns and Ryan Pottruff scored the other 'Horns marker.
Gal beat UBC Thunderbirds' goalkeeper
Steven Stanford (1st, Calgary, AB) with a high blocker side rocket midway through the first to give the 'Horns an early edge.
Pronghorn net-minder Scott Bowles looked sharp from the start. Making a number of quick pad saves and staying strong between the pipes, he managed to keep the T-Birds scoreless through one making 10 saves.
Stanford, getting the start for UBC, faced 8 shots in the first including a solid wrister from Pronghorn's captain Dustin Moore who was looking to extend their lead in the dying seconds of the first.
Looking to extend their lead, Potruff fired a blistering shot from just inside the blueline sneaking the puck past Stanford, making it 2-0 'Horns. But the T-Birds answered quickly and a shot from McCrae managed to find its way over the line, just out of the reach of Bowles, closing the gap back to one.
Minutes later, a shot from
Mike McGurk (2nd, Hamilton, ON) was denied by a screened Bowles but a great second effort by Wilson knotted the game up at two 's as he controlled the loose puck and found the back of the net.
Penalty trouble seemed to plague the Pronghorns' midway through the second frame leading to the first of two 5-on-3 opportunities on the night for UBC; one that they would capitalize on quickly as Wilgosh beat Bowles blocker side for a third unanswered goal.
The 'Horns tried to push back in the final minutes, maintaining pressure in the offensive end and looking to take advantage of a power play opportunity of their own. Despite their best efforts, Stanford stood tall and UBC would start the third period up one goal, leading 3-2.
Starting the third shorthanded, the 'Horns looked to make a push for an equalizer but UBC's Grassi was quick on the puck, wrapping the puck around from behind the net and opened their lead to two.
Wasden beat Bowles top shelf blocker side to increase the margin to three and spelled the end of Bowles night. Freshman Dylan Tait came in relief nearly halfway through the third period and acquainted himself quite well in his first appearance as a Pronghorn. Tait stopped all 12 shots he faced in just over 10 minutes of work.
Gal took a pass from Moore and outwaited Stanford, notching his second goal of the night and his fourth of the two-game series. But that would be as close as the Horns would get. UBC outshot Lethbridge 16-7 in the third period.
UBC finished the night 2-for-10 with the extra man, while the Horns went 0-for-4 on the power play.
The Thunderbirds will have a bye next weekend, returning to action the following week, traveling to Regina to face the Cougars.
The Horns will head out on the road for the first time this season, traveling to Saskatoon to face the Huskies.
