The Matchup

 
The UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team will host the Ryerson Rams in back-to-back games on Friday, September 23rd at Father Bauer Arena and Saturday, September 24th at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. The games commence at 7 p.m. (PT) and 4 p.m. (PT) respectively. The rare exhibition matchups with the Rams will mark the 'Birds final opportunity for pre-season preparations before the puck drops on the 2016-17 CIS season. 

Last Action

The T-Birds have showed promise so far, going 3-0 in their opening three games. A 3-1 win over SFU, followed by a weekend sweep of the Alberta Golden Bears has set an encouraging precedent for a UBC team looking to improve on last season's 11-13-4 record. Another pair of wins this weekend would certainly bode well for UBC's new head coach, Sven Butenschon. 
 

OT winner! Michael Stenerson scores to give @UBCMHKY a 2-1 win over @BearsandPandas in @CWUAA pre-season. #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/cthH8PAsCt

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) September 18, 2016

The Rams have opened their pre-season with a 2-1 record. A dominant 5-1 win over Western was followed by a 4-2 loss to UOIT, revealing their offensive potential as well as some gaps in their defence. Interim head coach Johnny Duco will be looking to prove himself this pre-season following the retirement of former Rams head coach Graham Wise, who led Ryerson for the past decade. 

By the Numbers

8 - Number of Thunderbirds who have contributed to UBC's 8 goals. Scoring depth is clearly a part of the 'Birds pre-season success. 



3 - Overtime periods UBC played in their opening three games. Their first bout with the Golden Bears was decided in double OT, and the second was settled in the first overtime. Winning games in 60-minutes will be important for a T-Birds team with a long season ahead. 

Players to Watch

Matt Hewitt (#30, G) – The Canada West All Star was between the pipes for the first time on Saturday's second contest with Alberta. He made 31 saves in UBC's 2-1 victory.



Derek Dun (#34, G) - The former BCHL netminder stopped 49-of-52 shots in his two-game stint against SFU and Alberta. With solid performances from both Hewitt and Dun, this weekend's games will be a proving ground for both goaltenders. 

Coach's Take

Butenschon has been impressed with the overall depth of his team, with forwards, defenders and goaltenders all pulling their weight. 

"It's good to see the guys doing the things that we've been working on in practice [during] games. I wanted to see good habits, energy and lots of physicality and they've done that. There's always a bit of a mental barrier this early in the season, and I have not seen that."