The University of British Columbia Athletics

VANCOUVER – Facing the top team in the country Friday evening, the UBC Thunderbirds fought back from two goals down and Cole Wilson potted his second of the game in double overtime to hand the Dinos just its second defeat of the year by a score of 3-2. Jessi Hilton tied the game midway through the third period and Geordie Wudrick collected his first point with the Thunderbirds in his debut in what was the 'Birds best outing of the season.
 
"Our guys will enjoy tonight's win but there's two points up for grabs tomorrow," said head coach Milan Dragicevic following tonight's game. "We can't get too satisfied as we're fighting for our lives not only as a program but also in the Canada West playoff race."


 
The Thunderbirds got off to an unfavorable start conceding the first goal, an area of concern of recent, as Elgin Pearce, the former Medicine Hat Tiger, potted his first career CIS goal from a Kodie Curran feed from behind the net.
 
On an almost identical play half a period later, the Dinos' Drydn Dow threw it out front and Ryan Harrison was able to get a stick on it to snap it low, blocker side on Steven Stanford for the forward's fifth tally of the campaign. A late disallowed goal by the visiting team limited UBC to a two-goal burden entering the first intermission.
 
A fresh sheet of ice sparked the Thunderbirds as the home team solved the Dinos defense less than a minute into the second frame. The 'Birds most consistent scorer, Cole Wilson, pounced on the rebound and outwaited Kris Lazaruk as he cashed one into the open net surpassing his career best in points set last season. Joe Antilla and Nate Fleming collected the assists on the play as Fleming has points in seven of his past eights games, averaging a point-per-game over the span.
 
Both teams upped their play for the remainder of the second period with a number of big hits, odd man rushes and power play opportunities, highlighted by Lazaruk's strong play on the visiting end denying the Thunderbirds on a number of close range opportunities. Stanford stood tall in the second stopping all 10 shots he faced, as the UBC fended off the pesky Calgary offence.
 
Down one with a period to play, not an unfamiliar position for the Thunderbirds this season, UBC came out firing but a pair of chances in the early going were denied by Lazaruk. Jessi Hilton put the 'Birds back in business moments later as he buried a juicy rebound off the initial shot from Luke Lockhart to tie the game up at two with half a period to play. The goal was Hilton's second of the year breaking a seven game scoreless drought.
 
A late penalty put the T-birds in a bind and with under a minute remaining in regulation, UBC was fortunate enough to have a Dinos' goal called back due to goaltender interference. The first overtime period would solve nothing as the game entered second overtime, with three skaters apiece.
 
UBC wasted no time in the second overtime period as Cole Wilson unleashed a rocket at the five-second mark to beat Lazaruk top-shelf giving UBC the thrilling victory 3-2. Wudrick collected the assist in his first game for the Thunderbirds after transferring from the University of New Brunswick.
 
"It was pretty exciting with all the fans and athletes coming out, especially beating the top team in Canada, and for me I haven't played a CIS hockey game in 14 months," said Wudrick, who earned second star of the game. "The biggest thing for us is our play on the ice and to get ourselves in a playoff position."
 
"Geordie is one of the best players in the CIS," added Dragicevic. "He's won a national championship and he's going to make our team a lot better."
 
Stanford made 22 saves in the victory, and owns a favorable 5-3-1 record on the season, now having won five of his previous six regular season starts. Entering the weekend, Calgary was the highest scoring team in the CIS averaging just over five goals a game through the first 20 games. Calgary backup Lazaruk got the starting nod this evening making 25 of 28 saves on the night.
 
"Our biggest focus is to have a good start and if we don't, we're playing catch up all the time," emphasized Dragicevic, concerning his team's play from the outset. "Tomorrow we look to get off to a better start, similar to how we started the second period tonight."
 
UBC improves to 8-12-1 but still sit two points out of a playoff spot with 17 points. Calgary falls to 19-0-2 on the season and remains atop the CIS standings still without a regulation loss.
 
Game two goes off tomorrow at 5:00pm. at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.