Lethbridge, AB - It took four games, but the UBC Thunderbirds finally picked up their 10th win of the season, thrashing the Lethbridge Pronghorns 7-1 Friday night in Lethbridge. With the victory, the 'Birds snapped their three game regular season losing streak and picked up two key points as they look to keep pace with the top teams in the Canada West standings.
BOX SCORE
After scoring just eight goals in their last six games combined, the Thunderbirds exploded for seven goals against the Pronghorns, including the first career CIS hat trick for
Brad Hoban (Victoria, BC), as the 'Birds peppered Lethbridge netminders Damien Ketlo and Daniel Wenham all night long, firing 58 shots on net. UBC improves to 10-7-2 on the year, while Lethbridge falls to 1-16-2.
"We talked about it all week in practice, how we needed to get more shots on net in order to create more scoring opportunities, and obviously our guys executed the plan perfectly, registering 58 shots on net," said UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic.
UBC did not get the start they wanted as the home side opened the scoring 3:32 into the opening frame on the power play. With
Scott MacDonald (Surrey, BC) in the penalty box, one time Vancouver Giant Brent Henke beat
Steven Stanford (Calgary, AB) to put the Pronghorns up 1-0-. Immediately after, UBC would get its own power play and just as the penalty expired
Jason Yee (Victoria, BC) potted his first goal of the year to tie the game at 1-1. It is just the fourth goal of the year from the defence this season. Less than three minutes later the Thunderbirds took the lead, courtesy of
Brad Hoban, who scored his first goal of the night to put the visitors up 2-1 through 20 minutes of play. UBC outshot the Pronghorns 21-7 in the first period.
"
Jason Yee's goal was a big one," said Dragicevic. "We need to get more production from her blueline and hopefully this will be the goal that ignites our group."
In the second period, Pronghorns goaltender Damien Ketlo did his best to keep his team in the game as the 'Birds fired another 21 shots on net. However, one shot did manage to get by Ketlo off the stick of
Jessi Hilton (Sherwood Park, AB), scoring his third goal of the season. UBC led 3-1 after 40 minutes of action.
Lethbridge had a great chance shorthanded early in the third period to cut the lead to one, but Stanford stopped Clayton Cumiskey to keep it a 3-1 UBC lead. A couple minutes later on the power play, Hoban scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the season to extend the lead to three goals for the Thunderbirds. That would spell the end of the night for Ketlo in net for Lethbridge, who gave up four goals on 49 shots in 47:45 of action. It was no different for back up Daniel Wenham. On the first shot Wenham faced,
Dillon Wagner (Keephills, AB) scored his fourth goal of the season on the power play to put the 'Birds up 5-1. UBC wasn't done there, Hoban picked up the hat trick as he hammered a slap shot past Wenham to make it 6-1.
Cole Wilson (White Rock, BC) would also get in on the act with his ninth goal of the year shorthanded to round out the scoring. The final score was 7-1 UBC.
Hoban finished the night with four points (3 goals and one assist) and is now tied for the team lead in goals with
Cole Wilson with nine.
Max Grassi (North Vancouver, BC) and
Scott MacDonald each chipped in with three helpers on the night.
Steven Stanford needed to make just 14 saves for his fourth win of the year.
"This game was key, not only to get back in the win column, but also for some of our key offensive players to regain their confidence," said Dragicevic. "We are counting on the likes of Hoban, Wilson, and Grassi to put up points and lead the offensive charge."
UBC finished the night 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Pronghorns went 1-for-3.
The final shots were 58-15 for UBC.
With the victory, the Thunderbirds move into sole possession of fifth place in the Canada West conference with 22 points, two points behind fourth place Calgary, and three points behind third place Manitoba.
UBC and Lethbridge will wrap up their weekend series tomorrow night in Lethbridge. Game time is 6:00 pm PST and can be seen live on
www.canadawest.tv
