VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds dropped game one of their Canada West quarter-final series to the Dinos 5-4 in triple overtime Friday night in an incredibly entertaining battle at Calgary's Father David Bauer Arena.
 
Tied at 4 after five periods, the T-Birds began triple overtime on the penalty kill as Nick Buonassisi continued to serve a slashing call made late in the previous period. UBC completed the kill but Calgary kept up pressure in the offensive zone. Dylan Busenius held onto the puck high in the T-Birds' zone while traffic gathered in front of Derek Dun's crease. The Calgary defenceman then fired the puck past a number of bodies and into the back of the net as the Dinos took the 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
 
With less than five minutes remaining in the third period the T-Birds took their first lead of the game when Adam Rossignol finished a beautiful cross-ice feed down low by Austin Vetterl with Buonassisi picking up the second assist.
 
But this time it was the Dinos' turn to battle back as Cain Franson tied the game at four at the 17:06 mark, a goal that eventually forced overtime.

"We had the game and it just slipped through our fingers," said UBC head coach Sven Butenschon shortly after the marathon ended.
 
"Every time we made a mistake it seemed like they capitalized. We just have to limit our mistakes and score on our chances."
 
While the T-Birds out shot the Dinos 11-8 in the first overtime period they couldn't manage to beat Matthew Greenfield who finished the game with 41 saves.
 
The Dinos went to the power play early in double overtime but weren't able to execute, but neither were the 'Birds who had two man advantages of their own in the first half of the frame. Calgary went back to the power play with a minute and a half remaining but Dun made a couple of key stops to keep the game tied heading to the sixth period.


 
At a total of 102:42, the game set a new Thunderbirds record for the longest in team history and the second longest in Canada West playoff history. The Dinos finished with a 56-45 edge in shots. Both teams went 1-for-5 on the power play.
 
The Dinos opened scoring 7:09 into the opening period as Danny Gayle got the puck past Dun with the assists going to Franson and Drydn Dow.
 
But the T-Birds responded with several solid shifts and less than three minutes later Riley Guenther released a hard shot from high in the slot that beat Greenfield as the game remained tied at one heading into the break.
 
The Dinos re-took the lead 5:20 into the second period as Parker Bowles earned his first of the post-season from Dow. But once again that lead was short lived as the T-Birds answered back quickly. UBC earned their first power play of the game after Calgary captain Dan Gibb was called for boarding at 6:38 and the red hot 'Birds special teams converted yet again. Anthony Bardaro found the back of the net at 8:35 from Jerret Smith and Vetterl and the two teams were back to square one once again.
 
The Dinos would once again pull ahead thanks to Elgin Pearce at the 13:36 mark on the power play from Bowles and Dow as Calgary took the 3-2 lead into the final period.
 

The @UCDinos get a 5-4 win in game 1 as Busenius gets a puck through traffic 2:24 into triple OT. Tough break for @UBCMHKY

— Jeff Sargeant (@jeffthesarge) February 18, 2017

After being out shot 23-14 through 40 minutes the Thunderbirds came out storming to start the third really pushing the pace of the game. Luke Lockhart was rewarded 4:38 in with his first of the playoffs from Kyle Becker tying the game at three before Rossignol gave UBC their first and only lead of the game.
 
There's little time for rest and recovery with game two of the series beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT Saturday at Calgary's Father David Bauer Arena in another must-win scenario for the T-Birds, something their head coach knows they'll be ready for as it's not unfamiliar territory.
 
"I still believe in the guys and they should believe in themselves," said Butenschon.
 
"We have to have extremely short memories and talk about all the good things we did. We probably had way more scoring chances than them. As the game got on we got better but we had our chances and just couldn't score. If we can put in another performance like we did today we're going to be fine."
 
If the 'Birds can pull out the game two victory, a third and deciding game will go at 5:00 p.m. PT in Calgary on Sunday.