VANCOUVER – For the second straight year, the UBC men's hockey season has ended in Calgary. The Thunderbirds fell 4-1 to the host Dinos on Sunday night in the third and deciding game of their Canada West quarter-final series.
BOX SCORE
Two goals by Calgary in 5:25 early in the second period were enough for the victory.
“It was a tough game,” said UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic. “No excuses, we didn't execute.”
UBC weathered an early storm as they held Calgary scoreless in the opening period despite getting outshot 13-1 and taking four penalties. But the fourth infraction was a checking-from-behind major assessed to
Dillon Wagner (
Keephills, AB) with just 13 seconds left in the first period.
Calgary's Taylor Stefishen quickly took advantage as he opened the scoring on a power-play goal 24 seconds into the second. Then at 5:49, Walker Wintoneak added another goal, from the slot, to make it 2-0.
Blake Clement gave the Dinos an insurance marker halfway through the third period before the Thunderbirds finally got on the scoreboard.
Cole Pruden (Winnipeg, MB) knocked a rebound through a screen and past Calgary netminder Dustin Butler for his second of the series at the 11:00 mark, with the assist going to
Brendon Wall (Saskatoon, SK). It was the team's final shot of the game.
Any hopes of a UBC comeback were dashed when Kodie Curran recorded the Dinos' second power-play marker of the game, with 2:35 left.
While Calgary generated enough offence in a five-minute span in the second period to win the game, the Dinos dominated the entire affair, outshooting UBC 31-8.
Goalie
Jordan White (Surrey, BC), playing in his final game in a T-Birds' uniform, made 27 saves in a losing cause.
Wyatt Hamilton (Cochrane, AB),
Dustin Kimber (Lundar, MB), captain
Justin McCrae (Cochrane, AB), and
Scott Wasden (West Kelowna, BC) are the other UBC players who will be moving on after this year.
“We feel bad for the graduating players,” said Dragicevic. “Those five guys put everything into the program and are leaving the program in a better place because of their commitment and leadership.”
The Thunderbirds finished with a 14-11-3 record in the regular season before going 1-2 in the Canada West playoffs.
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