The Matchup
After a week off from Canada West action, the UBC Thunderbirds (5-3-0) ride a four-game win streak into Saskatoon to face the No. 4 Saskatchewan Huskies (6-1-1) Friday and Saturday, November 10 and 11.
After a 4-0 start to the season, the Huskies have dropped two of their last four but still find themselves in second place in the Canada West, three points behind the first-place and No. 1 ranked Alberta Golden Bears.
Last season the 'Birds went 1-3 against Saskatchewan dropping both games in Saskatoon.
Puck drop both nights is set for 5:00 p.m. PT at Rutherford Rink.
Last Action
The T-Birds earned a second straight weekend sweep with a pair of wins over the Pronghorns in Lethbridge.
Matt Hewitt made 39 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 5-0 win before facing a whopping 57 shots in a 6-4 win the following day.
The Huskies split a doubleheader on the road against the Calgary Dinos with a 2-1 shootout win followed by a 4-2 loss.
By the Numbers
10 – The 'Birds have a plus 10 goal differential over the course of their current four-game win streak outscoring the opposition by a combined 18-8 margin.
.750 – UBC has the conference's second-best road winning percentage going 3-1 away from home so far this season. The Huskies have only played three games in Saskatoon but are a perfect 3-0 on home ice.
Players to Watch
Matt Hewitt (#30, G) – Tied for the conference lead in wins with five, the fifth-year goaltender is boasting a .953 save percentage over his last four games, all while facing the highest average number of shots per game.
Jerret Smith (#29, D) – The second-year defenceman earned a career-high four assists in UBC's 5-0 win in Lethbridge. Smith leads all Canada west blueliners with nine points (1G, 8A) and is second in T-Bird scoring behind only
Austin Vetterl.
Coach's Take
The bye week may have taken some momentum away from the 'Birds but head coach
Sven Butenschon says it was also a good opportunity to catch their breath, especially with back-to-back road trips on the schedule.
"It's a great rest mentally for guys to catch up on school, it's been a pretty good grind here since September," said Butenschon who likes the way his team has been progressing since a difficult home opener against Calgary. "(The Dinos) played at a level that we weren't ready for. I like our game better now and now we have a chance to prove it against one of the elite teams in our league."
This weekend will certainly be a good litmus test for UBC who will try to be the first visiting team to post a win at Rutherford Rink this season.
"We got to be composed, it's a tough building to play in," said Butenschon. "They have four deep lines, they're going to push the tempo and we have to be comfortable under that. We have to withstand the pressure, transition well and if (
Matt Hewitt) can stay on top of his game that'll help the group feel comfortable."
