SASKATOON – The UBC Thunderbirds fell short in their bid to get back into a playoff spot Saturday night as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the red hot Saskatchewan Huskies at Merlis Belsher Place.

Justin Ball netted two goals, including his first career U SPORTS tally, helping the Huskies (18-4-2) to a seventh straight win and 15 of their last 16.
 
The Thunderbirds (6-13-5) received offensive production from six different skaters with Carter Popoff tallying his fourth of the season on the power play while Austin Vetterl added to his team-lead in points after scoring his eighth of the year. Jarret Tyszka, Jake Kryski, Jerret Smith and Tyler Sandhu all added an assist for the visitors.


 
Travis Child recorded 16 saves on 18 shots in the win for the Huskies, while Patrick Dea kicked aside 20 of 25 shots between the T-Bird pipes.
 
Paired with the Calgary Dinos sweeping the Alberta Golden Bears, the Huskies now sit in a tie for first place in the Canada West with four games remaining in the regular season.
 
Meanwhile, the pursuit of the postseason gets a bit murkier for the 'Birds who enter the final two weekends of the regular season two points back of Regina for the sixth and final playoff berth.
 
It took just 2:55 for the Huskies to open scoring after Jared Dmytriw went to work on the forecheck, forcing a turnover and setting up Ball who went forehand-to-backhand and past Dea.


 
Saskatchewan extended the lead midway through the opening frame when Cable, who scored the game-winner on Friday night, continued to find success against the T-Birds. The fifth-year forward waltzed into the zone one-on-three and was able to gain separation before snapping a wrister past Dea.
 
However, the visitors were able to respond as they cut the Huskies lead in half following a Saskatchewan interference penalty. The Thunderbirds went to work on the power play and after going 0-3 Friday night, UBC had success on their first attempt with the man-advantage as Popoff was able to beat Child on a wrister from the right faceoff dot.
 
Despite outshooting the Huskies 9-5 in the opening frame, the Thunderbirds went into the intermission trailing 2-1.
 
The Huskies kept the offence coming, however, as Shirley was able to find twine registering his ninth of the season just 3:12 into the second to restore the home side's two goal lead.


 
Once again the Thunderbirds refused to go away. Three seconds after a Huskies power play expired, Smith's wrister from the blue line was deflected by Vetterl to get UBC back within one.
 
But the T-Birds were unable to get any closer as Ball added his second of the night little over a minute after Vetterl's goal to give the Huskies the two goal lead heading into the third.
Sam Ruopp added some extra insurance with his second of the season just shy of the four minute mark of the final period as Saskatchewan completed the season series sweep of the T-Birds with the win.
 
UBC returns home Sunday but heads right back on the road for a showdown with the Pronghorns in Lethbridge next Friday and Saturday as they continue to attempt a late push to secure a ninth consecutive playoff berth.