EDMONTON – It took overtime in Edmonton, but the University of Alberta Golden Bears Hockey team was able to come away with a 4-3 win over the UBC Thunderbirds, Friday night at Clare Drake Arena.

Tyson Baillie, Jason Fram, Ben Carroll and Dylan Bredo scored for the victorious Bears on Friday, while Luke Siemens made 21 saves to earn his seventh win of the season. Anthony Bardaro scored twice for UBC, his team leading ninth and tenth goals of the season, while Chase Clayton also found the score sheet for the 'Birds.


 
The rust was clearly evident for two teams that haven't played in a conference game in over a month, combining for no offensive chances and four shots on goal in the opening ten minutes. Things started to pick up midway through the first, with the visiting Thunderbirds scoring twice in a little over a minute.
 
Bardaro opened the scoring with a wicked one-timer from the top of the faceoff circle, beating Siemens short side over his glove. UBC doubled their lead in similar fashion, quickly turning a defensive zone faceoff into a goal in the other net. Clayton potted his fifth of the year off the quick strike two-on-one, beating Siemens off the cross-crease feed from Joe Antilla.
 
The Golden Bears finally found their legs in the second period, erasing the UBC lead with three goals of their own. Carroll opened the scoring less than two minutes in, beating a helpless Derek Dun off a fantastic cross ice feed from fellow rookie Cole Sanford for his first career goal.
 
Baillie, yet another rookie on the Bears, evened the game 13 minutes later. Todd Fiddler was able to generate a turnover deep in UBC territory, before feeding Baillie out front, who out-waited a sliding Dun, slotting the backhander into the open UBC net.

One hour till the puck drops on the officially unofficial second half of the 2017 @CWUAA hockey season! pic.twitter.com/kGZcF6EEOo

— UBC Men's Hockey (@UBCMHKY) January 7, 2017

 
Fram, who like Sanford was making his Canada West debut, scored his first goal just two minutes later to cap off a wild flurry from Alberta. After being gifted a full two minute five-on-three powerplay, Fram was able to bury a one-timer from the point, beating Dun five-hole.
 
The teams played a relatively calm third period, which was mostly controlled by the Bears. However, Bardaro was given another opportunity from in tight, as he beat Siemens with another shot over the glove with 29 seconds left and the goalie pulled, sending the game to an extra frame.
 
The OT period didn't last long, as the Bears completely dominated the extra time, and Bredo ending the game with a quick shot from the slot under Dun's glove hand.
 
The teams will cap off the two-game set tomorrow night, as the Bears once again host the Thunderbirds at Clare Drake Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 5:00 p.m (PST).