VANCOUVER – On a night of firsts for many, the UBC Thunderbirds easily secured their inaugural win of the 2021-22 Canada West season Friday night, 5-1 over the visiting Trinity Western Spartans in front of a raucous home opening crowd at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Leading 1-0 in the second, the 'Birds (1-0) soon found themselves on even terms with the Spartans (0-1) when Kolby Johnson scored the first goal in TWU Canada West history 6:44 into the second to tie the game 1-1.
But that even standing was short lived as UBC scored four unanswered to strike first in the newest U SPORTS crosstown rivalry.
"It was a typical game in our league, a hard fought battle," said UBC Head Coach Sven Butenschon who improved to 4-1 in home openers behind the bench. "The physicality was there, the desire and the passion. Our league is so tight, it was a good lesson for our young guys, it's going to be like that every night, you got to be prepared for war every time. With only 20 games this year, every game means so much and you just got to find a way. Tonight we wore them down the first couple periods and stuck to the game plan and had our best period in the third."
After Jonathan Smart scored to restore UBC's lead midway through the second, Cyle McNabb tipped home a Smart point shot on the power play late in the frame for his first as a Thunderbird, giving the home side a 3-1 advantage heading into the third.
The defence were active on offence all night for the T-Birds who outshot the Spartans 44-26 while blueliners picked up a total of six points, led by Smart's three-point game (1G, 2A).
Tian Rask effectively put the game away at the 10:14 mark of the third when he deflected a
Matthew Smith shot with both rookies earning their first points in the blue and gold on the goal.
Jake Kryski added his first of the campaign picking up a rebound off a Conner MacDonald shot with just two-and-a-half remaining.
The 1700-plus fans in attendance were loud and boisterous all game long, kick started by captain Tyler Sandhu's game opening tally 9:18 into the first.
"It means everything," said Butenschon of finally getting back to meaningful hockey. "It's been almost 20 months since we last played. We've practiced so much, there's been so much negativity with COVID, so many of our players didn't have a chance to finish their collegiate career. It's a blessing for us to be able to touch the ice again and play the game we love."
The 'Birds finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play while the Spartans failed to convert on five chances of their own.
Playing their first Canada West game in program history, the Spartans nearly made a splash as Luke Spadafora was awarded a penalty shot seven minutes into the first period, but Rylan Toth denied him with the glove, as the veteran goaltender made a total of 25 saves in the win.
The two Lower Mainland rivals go at it again Saturday afternoon at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre with a 3:00 p.m. PT puck drop.
