CALGARY - Five goals from five different goal scorers powered the UBC Thunderbirds (15-9-1) to a 5-1 win over the Mount Royal Cougars (11-12-2) Friday night in Calgary.
Matt Hewitt made 23 saves for his 12th win of the season as the 'Birds made it seven straight victories while clinching a home playoff berth for just the second time in the last 47 seasons.
The Cougars faced their hardest and most vital task of the season to start their final home stand of the year, hosting a high-flying UBC Thunderbirds squad. MRU swept UBC in their first meeting earlier this year in Vancouver but it was the T-Birds who got their revenge handing the Cougars their fourth straight loss.
"We had a bit of a slow start but we had a great goal from Grewal on the penalty kill which got the whole bench excited and pumped up and then we just got rolling after that," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon who credits his team with continued focus that's allowed the current win streak to continue. "Once the season gets going, you're so focussed on the task at hand you don't really think much about (a home berth) and I don't think our guys have either. Everyone is so concerned about the process and day-to-day habits at practice and it's translating to results."
UBC scored the first goal of the game on an overly aggressive penalty kill that benefited
Raymond Grewal who was sprung on a breakaway by
Devan Fafard. The third-year defenceman went one-on-one against Cougar net-minder Cam Lanigan, beating the ex-Medicine Hat Tiger with a backhand at
13:33.
Josh Connolly double the T-Bird lead when he ripped a shot bar-down on a counter-attack with
2:56 left in the frame to give his side a 2-0 lead heading into the break.
Adam Rossignol's power play marker at
7:35 was the only tally in the middle frame, beating Lanigan on a tipped shot for the Thunderbirds' third goal on nine shots.
MRU pulled a goal back early in the third period on Josh Bly's deflected puck from a Kord Pancewicz shot from the point on the Cougars' fourth power play, but UBC answered expeditiously.
Austin Vetterl tapped in a beautiful heads-up slap-pass from
Jerret Smith on the man-advantage at
7:03 and just over
two minutes later Nick Buonassisi slipped the puck between the Lanigan's wickets to push the UBC lead to 5-1, holding on for the win.
Special teams were an issue for the Cougars, finishing 1-for-8 on the power play while the 'Birds went 2-for-5.
"We really focussed this week on preparing the guys to make sure your goalie sees the first shot and then we'll clean up any rebounds," said Butenschon who praised his goaltender's performance. "I thought (Hewitt) was really solid, the guys let him see the pucks and then he didn't have to make the second saves."
The 'Birds can make it eight in a row in Saturday's final regular season meeting between the two. Puck drop at Flames Community Arenas is 2 p.m. PT.
