WINNIPEG - The UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team dropped a 3-1 decision to the No. 4 Manitoba Bisons on Friday in Winnipeg.
Manitoba record is now 19-5-3 for 41 points while UBC falls to 12-12-3 and will remain in fifth spot at 27.
BOXSCORE
The game winning goal was scored with under a minute left in the period. After a mostly sleepy middle frame, Bison forward Ian Duval woke up the home crowd with a sweeping backhand on the ice that found the back of the net after moving into the slot from the corner.
The Bisons had a 2-1 lead with only 44 ticks left in the middle frame and would hold onto the margin throughout the third. Captain Mike Hellyer nifty pass to find Duval and Matt Lowry had the other assist.
In the third, Manitoba had a couple of chances to put way the game as Del Cowan and Jared Walker were stopped by UBC goalie
Jordan White on back-to-back two-on-ones after only six minutes of action. The T-Birds did a nice job killing off a penalty at the halfway point and began to press for the equalizer.
Bison netminder Joe Caligiuri made a nice save on blocker on
Cole Pruden late in the game and fifth year Chris Benias salted away the game with a empty netter and Manitoba prevailed 3-1.
In the first period, the Bisons started quickly when Matt Lowry hit the goalpost off a rebound and then defenceman and alternate captain Dane Crowley scored the first goal of the game on a wraparound at 5:23. Brendan Rowinski assisted on the even strength goal. Bison captain Mike Hellyer missed a chance when the puck jumped over his stick in the slot at the nine minute mark.
UBC tied tied the contest when forward
Scott Wasden fired a quick wrister through a defenceman's skate and beat Caligiuri on the blocker side at 11:02.
Mike McGurk with the assist. The rest of the period was quiet with both teams kept mainly to the outside. Shots were 15-9 early for Manitoba.
In the final stats, Manitoba went 0-4 and UBC was 0-1 on the power play and the home side outshot the visitors by a 38-27 margin. Goal scorers were Crowley, Duval and Benias for Manitoba and Wasden for UBC with Hellyer with two assists.
Both teams lace them up again on Saturday, February 18 with first place on the line for Manitoba. Puck drop is 5 p.m.
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