VANCOUVER – In front of a new team record 5,500 fans, the UBC Thunderbirds (11-9-1) beat the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns (8-11-2) 2-1 at the fourth annual Winter Classic on Friday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
It was an incredibly tight game throughout between two Canada West teams jockeying for playoff position, and fittingly remained tied at one heading into the third period.
The game winner came off the stick of
Tyler Sandhu just 55 seconds into the final frame on a bit of a lucky bounce. Nick Bounassisi made a cross-ice pass to Sandhu who fired the puck wide of the goal before it bounced off the end boards and off Lethbridge goaltender Garret Hughson and into the net.
"The ice conditions were not great, the guys were pretty tight so we kind of simplified our game and in the third period I don't ever remember us taking a chance or having a turnover," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon who is now 2-0 as head coach at Winter Classics. "We made it hard on them, and then at the end it was just a matter of will. We had guys diving on pucks and blocking shots, that was the difference tonight."
The Pronghorns pressed hard late in the period and nearly got the game-tying goal with 45 seconds left but
Matt Hewitt made an incredible left pad save robbing Russell Maxwell to keep the 'Birds in front.
Hewitt finished with 26 saves for his ninth win of the season, UBC's third straight victory and fourth in the last five games to start 2018.
"It doesn't get much better than that, that was a storybook ending," said Hewitt following his second straight Winter Classic win. "I'm so happy we pulled it off, it's unreal the amount of support we get at the Winter Classic starting with our alumni who always have our backs. The students, our family and friends, I'm so happy we could pull it off for all of them it feels great."
Butenschon echoed his goaltender's sentiments.
"It's awesome, it sure is nice when you have all that support, we're so appreciative for everyone coming out and we had 175 alumni here tonight and it's always easier to have those conversations after a win."
UBC had two power play chances in the opening frame but the Pronghorns did a good job of getting in front of pucks preventing the 'Birds' Canada West leading power play from getting on the board.
But with four minutes remaining in the first period,
Michael Stenerson stole puck just outside the Pronghorns blue line, turned it back in, and fed it over to
Austin Vetterl who made a drive to the net capped off by a beautiful backhand five-hole finish for his 12
th of the season.
The Pronghorns were able to respond, however, before the period was out when Brooks Maxwell deflected a Mitchell Maxwell shot for his first of the season, tying the game at one through 20 minutes.
UBC finished 0-for-3 on the power play while the Pronghorns went 0-for-2. Shots were even at 27.
The win keeps pace with Mount Royal as both the Cougars and 'Birds have 23 points, tied for fourth in the conference. The Pronghorns have now lost three in a row, five points back in sixth.
The 'Birds and 'Horns play for the final time this regular season Saturday afternoon with a chance for UBC to complete the season series sweep. Puck drop at Doug Mitchell is 1:00 p.m. PT.
