CALGARY – A hard fought win by the UBC Thunderbirds helped move them ahead of the University of Calgary Dinos into fourth place in the Canada West standings as they earned a 3-2 victory Saturday night at Father David Bauer Arena to sweep the weekend series.
"Our guys battled hard, and had excellent goaltending," said UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic. "We are just working hard and keeping things simple."
It was a battle for home ice advantage in the playoffs in what could very well be a postseason preview. The Dinos drop down to fifth place with a 10-11-1 record but remain eight points ahead of Lethbridge.
UBC, looking to host a playoff series for the first time since the early 1970s, improves to 11-7-2. UBC got the scoring started 7:13 into the first period on an even strength goal when
Jason Yee flew down the left side of the ice as part of a two-on-one rush, kept the puck, and beat Kris Lazaruk short side to make it 1-0 for the visitors.
Calgary had its share of opportunities in the period, including a 4-on-3 power play for just under a minute, but the Dinos were unable to put the puck past UBC goaltender
Jordan White.
In the second, the Dinos spent plenty of time on the power play – most noticeably a 5-on-3 opportunity thanks to two minor penalties by
Marc Desloges and White 17 seconds apart. Calgary captain Reid Jorgensen had the best scoring chance of the power play with what looked like to be a wide open net but White slid across and managed to get a glove on the shot turning it wide and keeping it a 1-0 game.
"Our penalty killing was solid again," remarked Dragicevic. "We killed a huge 5-on-3 and then we scored on our 5-on-3."
Calgary got on the board late in the second period on a short-handed goal by Taylor Stefishen, his 11th of the season. Kodie Curran's shot from the point went wide of the net, but it bounced off the boards and on to the stick of Steifshen who tied up the game.
The Dinos went into the locker room after two with the momentum even after seeing one of their own, Spencer Copp, helped off the ice after taking a big hit near the end of the second period.
Both teams came out firing in the third but it was UBC who was able to score its second of the night after they capitalized on a misplayed puck by the Calgary netminder. Lazaruk tried to play the puck off the glass and out of the zone but didn't get enough on it. The puck bounced of the boards and onto the stick of
Cole Pruden who slid one along the ice and into the net just as Lazaruk was getting back into position for a 2-1 UBC lead.
UBC topped off their scoring with a power play goal by third year forward
Scott Wasden. Walker Wintoneak of Calgary was able to cut the lead back to one with 16 seconds left in the game but it proved to be too late.
Calgary went 1-for-7 on the power play with Lazaruk making 22 saves in the loss, while UBC went 1-for-6 on the night with a 25-save performance by goaltender
Jordan White.
The Dinos are back at Father David Bauer Arena Jan. 27-28 as they take on the seventh-place Regina Cougars in the final two games of their five-game home stand.
UBC, meanwhile, closes out the season with eight games – all coming against the teams ahead of them in the standings. It begins as they host the Alberta Golden Bears next weekend in Vancouver.
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