WINNIPEG –
Josh Connolly scored his second game winner in as many games for the UBC Thunderbirds, netting the double overtime winner Saturday afternoon to secure a 4-3 win over the host Manitoba Bisons, completing the weekend sweep.
The 'Birds (7-5-0) scored three times in the second period, two of them from rookie forward
Maxwell James, to take a 3-2 lead while Jeremey Leipsic's third of the season midway through the third forced the game to extra time.
Manitoba (2-9-1) had their share of chances 4-on-4 but T-Birds goaltender
Patrick Dea was solid between the pipes, allowing UBC to flex their muscles 3-on-3. Just 54 seconds into the second overtime frame,
Tyler Sandhu dished to Connolly in the neutral zone as the fourth-year defenceman skated through the slot. His first shot was blocked but he stayed on the puck and drove in tight, beating Byron Spriggs to lift the 'Birds to their first overtime win of the season.
"It wasn't easy by any means, we knew they were going to come out hard," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon. "We managed to rally in the second period. We're playing with three lines, we have so many injuries,
Tyler Sandhu played today with the flu, it was a full team effort and everyone contributed."
The Bisons started the game like the desperate squad they are, taking a 2-0 lead by the midway point of the opening frame with goals from Liam Bilton and Nick Zajac.
UBC responded with a terrific second period, much like the night before, as Sandhu scored his second of the season just 22 seconds in.
Austin Glover's centering feed found Sandhu who slid the puck under Dasan Sydora's left pad. Sydora got the start in net for the Bisons but was yanked in favour of Spriggs after the 'Birds took their first lead of the game later in the frame.
Just over two minutes after Sandhu got UBC on the board, James popped home his fourth of the season and second of the weekend after getting a nice feed from
Austin Glover below the goal line. James earned his second of the game just seven minutes later at the 9:35 mark when he blew into the offensive zone on the right wing boards and blasted a low shot right through Sydora which chased the fourth-year goaltender from the crease.
The 'Birds held the 3-2 lead until the 7:44 mark of the third when Leipsic evened things up, eventually forcing overtime.
Dea made 25 saves for his second win of the season while the T-Birds outshot the Bisons for the second straight game, this time by a 35-28 margin. UBC failed to score on three power play chances while the Bisons went 0-for-4.
James finished the game with two goals and an assist for his first three point game as a T-Bird. The rookie now has six points in his last three games and his 10 points is tied for the league rookie scoring lead and tied with
Carter Popoff for the overall T-Birds lead.
"He makes the right play, the simple play and it's effective," said a pleased Butenschon on his big rookie forward. "And obviously his athleticism, he's 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, there's not too many defencemen that can handle that in our league. He goes to the net and he's got an unreal shot, I'm real happy to see him have success for all his hard work."
Glover had two assists Saturday while Sandhu and Connolly also had two points each.
The win bumps UBC into sole possession of fourth place in the Canada West, three points clear of Mount Royal who plays a game in hand later Saturday.
Next up for the 'Birds are four straight at home to close out the 2018 portion of the season, starting next Friday night against the visiting Regina Cougars.
