VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team (2-6) earned a hard-fought road win in Winnipeg Saturday night defeating the host Manitoba Bisons 3-2 to get the weekend split and a big two points.

Anthony Bardaro scored the game winner in the third period capping off a three-point night while Austin Vetterl had a goal and an assist as the Thunderbirds picked up a win on the road for the first time this season.

"We wanted to show the other team what it's like when we set the pace and push the tempo and the guys just nailed it," said UBC head coach Sven Butenschon.

Tied at two midway through the third, Bardaro's fourth of the season from Riley Guenther and Vetterl at 11:44 was the only goal for either team in the final frame.

Derek Dun made 32 saves earning the game's second star picking up his first win of the season.



Joe Antilla opened scoring on the power play with his first just past the four-minute mark of the first period set up by Joe Carvalho and Bardaro.

The Bisons evened it up at the 17:38 mark with Jordan DePape's third but the Thunderbirds would respond before the period was out. Less than a minute later, Vetterl found the back of the net, his third of the campaign to give UBC the 2-1 lead heading into the break.

Manitoba once again got the equalizer with Quinton Lisoway's second of the season 11:30 into the second period as the game was tied heading into the final frame.

The Bisons out shot UBC 34-30 while the T-Birds had a very good night on special teams finishing 1-for-2 on the power play and killing off all four Manitoba man advantages.

UBC is back home next weekend hosting the Lethbridge Pronghorns and will look to build off what Butenschon called a solid team effort Saturday in Winnipeg.

"We rolled four lines tonight and it was just a real gutsy effort from everyone. We just have to keep playing our game and our style and we know that we're going to be successful."

Puck drop Friday against Lethbridge is 7 p.m. PT at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.