VANCOUVER – A late start out of the gates was the difference Thursday night as the UBC Thunderbirds (12-10-5) lost 4-3 in Lethbridge, Alta., to the Pronghorns (5-22-0). Tonight's game marks an end to the Pronghorns' six-game losing streak at the hands of the T-Birds. 
 
"They were ready to play and we were not," remarked UBC head coach Tyler Kuntz. "In this league, if you don't come prepared to compete hard, you will lose. Give Lethbridge credit. They played hard and capitalized on their chances."

Pronghorn Brock Hirsche pushed his team ahead 4-1 by scoring at 1:40 into the third period, a goal that turned out to be the game winner.

After that, UBC forward Cole Wilson (White Rock) scored at 6:21 to make it 4-2. He found the net again at 18:46 on the power play to close the gap to 4-3 as he blasted a slap shot from the point through the five-hole of Lethbridge goaltender Warren Shymko. But that goal rounded out the scoring as the Thunderbirds' comeback bid fell short.

Special teams proved to be a big factor as Lethbridge defenceman Hayden Rintoul opened the scoring at 4:09 of the first period on a 5-on-3 power play. Just 24 seconds later, fellow D-man David McMullen added another goal on the man-advantage. The Pronghorns didn't get another power play the rest of the night.

Then just 55 seconds into the second period, Rintoul tallied his second goal of the night, a shorthanded marker that gave the home side a 3-0 advantage. He snapped the puck high over UBC's goalie Matt Hewitt. 

At 11:12, however, UBC was finally able to crack the scoreboard as forward Luke Lockhart (Burnaby) was able to knock in a rebound, making it a two-goal game. 
 
UBC was 1-for-5 on the power play and also gave up a shorthanded marker.

Shymko stopped 40 of the 43 shots he faced to help his team to the big win. His lack of rebounds during the first period, in which UBC had 19 shots on net, made it particularly difficult for the T-Birds to get on the board. Hewitt made 22 saves in a losing cause.

Despite the loss, UBC remains in fourth place in the Canada West standings with 29 points. Manitoba, the team chasing UBC for fourth place and a home playoff date in the league quarter-finals, also lost tonight, 3-2 to Mt. Royal in Calgary. The Bisons are still one point behind the Thunderbirds.

UBC can ensure home ice for the first round of the playoffs by winning Friday's rematch against Lethbridge, which is slated for 6 p.m. PT at the Nicholas Sheran Arena. The Thunderbirds can also clinch fourth place with a Manitoba loss in regulation. If UBC and Manitoba are tied in points at the end of the season, the Bisons would finish ahead as they hold all three tiebreakers on the Thunderbirds.