EDMONTON - The Saturday streak is over for the UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team.
The tandem of Sean Ringrose and Jordan Hickmott scored all four goals and combined for six points in the second-straight 4-1 win for the No.6 Alberta Golden Bears over the UBC Thunderbirds, Saturday night at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton.
The loss ends a run of four straight Saturday wins to open the season for the Thunderbirds.
Edmonton native Ringrose potted a pair of goals and added an assist, extending his goal-scoring streak to five games, while former Edmonton Oil King Hickmott tallied a pair and an assist to take the lead in rookie conference scoring. Linemate Levko Koper and defender Thomas Carr each notched a couple helpers.
Junior forward
Scott Wasden scored the lone goal for the T-birds.
The Westbank, BC native opened the scoring in the second period moments after an unsuccessful five-on-three man-advantage where UBC only garnered one shot in 1:38.
Thirty seconds after the subsequent five-on-four power-play expired, Wasden burst down the left wing and wristed a shot shortside on sophomore goaltender Kurtis Mucha, 10:05 into the middle frame.
Ringrose answered back on an Alberta man-advantage at 14:36, taking a Carr pass at the bottom of the left faceoff circle and putting a shot through the five-hole of junior netminder
Jordan White.
The Bears' special teams struck again in the final minute when Hickmott, killing a Kruise Reddick penalty, backhanded the puck through a UBC defender at the Alberta blueline, tore in on the UBC goal from the boards on a breakaway, and pushed across the crease only to fool White, leaving the puck behind him to sift into the net for the 2-1 lead with 43.4 seconds left to go in the period.
The quality scoring continued in the third for the Bears, as Ringrose, in full flight in the UBC slot, caught a Koper pass and roofed it in close range to score his conference-leading eighth goal of the season. The tally at 8:50 of the final frame also tied the former Medicine Hat Tiger for the Canada West scoring lead with 15 points.
Not to be outdone, Hickmott tried to reclaim “goal of the game” honours when he finished a partial breakaway with a spectacular backhand deke just under two minutes later. The Mission, BC native now has five goals and 14 points in 12 games in Evergreen and Gold silks, also boasting three game-winners to tie for the conference lead.
UBC finished their man-advantage opportunities at 0-8 on the evening, and allowing one short-handed goal, while Alberta finished 1-6.
The 4-4-2 T-birds return home next weekend to host the 6-2-2 Manitoba Bisons.
The 8-2-2 Bears will now take a “bye” week before heading back into action on the road against the Regina Cougars.
- with files from Paul Cartledge (University of Alberta Athletics)
