VANCOUVER – Down 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes, the UBC Thunderbirds (1-3-2) scored four unanswered goals, three of them in the third period, to earn a 4-1 win over the Regina Cougars (1-5) Saturday afternoon at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Tied 1-1 heading into the final frame, the T-Birds came out of the dressing room on fire as
Brett Clayton scored his first career Canada West goal just 56 seconds in for what stood up as the eventual game winner.
Rylan Toth made 29 saves in net as the T-Birds picked up their first win of the season, earning the weekend split against the Cougars.
"We've had issues protecting a lead this year so it was nice in the third period to see us manage the puck really well," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon following the dominant T-Birds' third period. "We didn't force anything, made sure we always had guys behind the puck. It was good to see the buy-in on that and then to finish the weekend the right way feels good."
Just as the night before, the visitors opened scoring in the first period. This time it was Connor Odelein who got a nice feed in the slot from Turner Ripplinger, wristing the puck past Toth at the 5:26 mark.
Brandon Holtby was very strong in net for the second straight game, finishing with 31 saves and keeping the 'Birds off the scoreboard until the 6:13 mark of the second.
Quentin Greenwood tied the game with his first of the season, hammering the puck past Holtby off a cross-slot pass by
Murphy Stratton who picked up his first point in the blue and gold.
Clayton's go-ahead marker in the opening minute of the third was also set-up by Stratton who slid the puck to the top of the crease where his fellow rookie linemate got enough on the puck to get it past Holtby's left pad.
Popoff's insurance marker, his first of the season, came with just under five minutes remaining when he wristed the puck over Holtby's glove, popping the water bottle behind him for a beautiful snipe.
Quinn Benjafield picked up the primary assist and then added a goal of his own with 1:29 left on the clock to remove any remaining doubt about the game's outcome.
"When you're looking for your first win of the season, you just need to find a way," added Butenschon. "It's not a system thing, it's not a hockey style thing, it's pure will and determination and we had that most of the night."
Benjafield's marker was his third in as many games, finishing the win with two points. Statton and
Austin Vetterl each picked up a pair of helpers.
The Thunderbirds are back on the road next weekend, off to Winnipeg to take on the Manitoba Bisons Friday and Saturday. The Cougars, meanwhile, return home to Regina to face their nickname rivals from Mount Royal for a pair of contests at the Co-operators Centre.
