VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds earned their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory over the visiting Calgary Dinos, taking three of a possible four points in the series at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre to start the season.
The T-Birds played a structured, detail-oriented game, getting great goaltending from
Jordan White along the way.
“We know who we are and the faster our guys realize how we have to play and how we have to win, the more success we're going to have,” said UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic. “We scored two power play goals and had some huge blocked shots. The things that we did right tonight got us two points.”
Rookie forward
Cole Wilson opened the scoring, draining a power play goal from the slot that beat Jacob DeSerres high glove side.
Then Calgary tied it up with a special teams goal of their own when Taylor Stefishen tipped Teigan Zahn's point shot past White.
White made huge saves all game long, but was never better than in the third period, when he shut the door with the Dinos down by one and pressing the action.
“The number one thing for our team is that we have to rely on goaltending. Whitey was great,” said Dragicevic. “He was the difference in the first period when we were outshot. We gave us the opportunity to win. Igive him full credit.”
Backed by White's outstanding play, the Thunderbirds got out to a two-goal lead in the second period.
First, a
Jordan Inglis wrist shot beat DeSerres far side to retake a one-goal lead.
Then the power play kicked in again as
Jason Yee led a charge up ice that culminated in a goal by
Scott Wasden, giving the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead.
The Dinos got within one again thanks to Tyler Fiddler, who snagged a rebound on the doorstep and put the puck in the back of the UBC net.
But UBC stuck to the game plan, chipping pucks up the board and going hard to the net. That style of play allowed
Justin McCrae to knock home a rebound to reestablish the Thunderbirds' two-goal lead heading into the third period.
The 'Birds ability to stick to the gameplan and play that classic grinding UBC style of hockey is a welcome sign. For the past couple of seasons, Dragicevic has struggled to get consistent play from his team, butthis year's squad looks willing to buy in. Just two games into the season, UBC looks to have assembled a group of character guys who will execute what is asked of them.
“We had a little success on Friday, we had more success on Saturday. It's easy for the guys to buy in when they see results,” said Dragicevic. “Each player has a role, and I think the biggest thing was our guys paid attention to details tonight. Getting pucks off the glass, blocking shots, and getting good goaltending.”
Early in the third period, Dinos sniper Stefishen wired a wrister into the top corner past White to cut the UBC lead to one. But that was as close as the visitors from Cowtown would come.
To some outsiders, the UBC roster filled with Junior A players might look like underdogs against a roster like Calgary's, which is full of Major Junior players. But the win is a testament to Dragicevic's brand of hockey, and the recruitment of players with heart.
“We wanted to bring in guys that were leaders on their hockey team,” explains Dragicevic. “It didn't matter whether they were Junior A guys or Major Junior. We have more Junior A guys this year, and they're hungry. They buy in to what we're doing and it shows on the ice.”
Next up, the Thunderbirds hit the road to battle the Lethbridge Pronghorns.
