VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team held on for a 4-3 victory over the host Calgary Dinos on Friday night in the opening game of their best-of-three Canada West quarter-final series.
BOXSCORE
"We got a lead and hung on too much in the third period," said UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic. "Our penalty killing needs to be better and we need consistent play for 60 minutes. It is only one game and Calgary is a great team."
It was a night for the two squads' special teams. Calgary converted on three power plays but couldn't overcome UBC's two short-handed markers that went along with a power play goal.
Jordan Inglis scored the winner with just 22 seconds to go in the second period, with the man advantage, to put UBC out in front 4-2 going into the third.
Calgary gave it everything they had in the final frame, outshooting their opposition 12-1.
With seven minutes to go, the Dinos potted their third power play goal of the night as Reid Jorgensen banged in a shot from the slot.
Calgary pulled goaltender Kris Lazaruk in the final minute, but were unable to find the back of the net as the Thunderbirds held on for the decision.
UBC's
Justin McCrae scored twice in the first period after the T-Birds fell behind 1-0 on a Dylan Hood power play goal.
Taking advantage of a Calgary turnover,
Scott Wasden dished a cross-crease pass to team captain McCrae, who one-timed his shot past Dinos' starting goaltender Dustin Butler for a shorthanded goal at 11:30 to tie the game.
With the final minute of the stanza ticking off the clock, UBC was able to take the lead.
Nate Fleming got the first chance before McCrae buried his second of the night as the Thunderbirds took a 2-1 advantage into the intermission.
Three misconducts were handed out in the second period.
Matt Pepe received a game misconduct at the beginning of the frame while his teammate
Ryan Kakoske got shown the gate for ten minutes. Calgary's Dylan Hood was also shown off late in the period with a 10-minute misconduct.
The Dinos tied the game less than two minutes into the period while on the power play. Cory Pritz blasted a shot past UBC goalie
Jordan White to make it 2-2.
Another shorthanded opportunity arose for the Thunderbirds during a five minute advantage for the Dinos. Sharp-shooter
Marc Desloges broke in alone and snapped a shot over the glove hand of Butler to reclaim the lead (3-2) for his club at 4:54.
Butler would find a seat on the bench for the third after Lazaruk got the call in net to try to spark the Dinos, who outshot the Thunderbirds 28-17.
Calgary was 3-for 8 on the power play, while UBC went 1-for 4.
Game two of this playoff series will go on Saturday night at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary, with puck drop at 6 p.m.
UBC needs one more win to advance to the conference semi-finals. The winner of this series will move onto the Canada West semi-final where they will face either the Manitoba Bisons or the Alberta Golden Bears.
- with files from Lance Doucet (Calgary Sports Information)
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