WINNIPEG – Playing their first Canada West road game in almost 21 months, the UBC Thunderbirds extended their winning streak to three games to start the season with a 4-3 victory over the Manitoba Bisons Friday night at Wayne Fleming Arena.

Having scored three consecutive goals after conceding an early Bisons power play tally, the T-Birds (3-0) fended off a Manitoba (1-2) comeback attempt as Tian Rask scored what turned out to be the game winner with 3:44 remaining, his second of the season.

"They had a shot go wide of our net and we had a bunch of guys buzzing up ice," said Rask. "It ended up being a 4-on-1, not something you see too often but I got a nice pass from Jonathan Smart that was just an open net tap in for me. Couldn't miss that one."



Manitoba lost their starting goaltender Liam Hughes to an injury in the third period, forcing Jeremy Link into action while the Bisons attempted a comeback from being down 3-1.

Manitoba captain Keaton Jameson pulled his team to back within one after capitalizing on a power play opportunity midway through the period before Rask restored UBC's two-goal advantage. Manitoba's Dylan Thiessen scored with his team's net empty to get back within a goal but the visitors held on, spoiling the Bisons' home opener.

"I liked our compete level tonight, we played a really smart road game," said UBC Head Coach Sven Butenschon whose team has started 3-0 for the second time in the last three seasons. "We wanted to make sure we had a good first period and as the game went on, which has been our MO this year, by the time the third period rolls around we're deep enough that we can take games over. It was another example of that tonight and I'm really proud of the guys."



Devon Skoleski opened scoring for the hosts just 3:19 into the opening frame, converting on the man advantage off a cross-ice feed from Brett Davis.

Less than six minutes later, the Thunderbirds responded with a power play goal of their own. Rookie forward Carson Miller came streaking in on the right wing with the puck, firing it under the glove of Manitoba goaltender Liam Hughes.

After an extended break between the second and third periods due to an issue with ice maintenance, the Thunderbirds took a 2-1 lead when Quinn Benjafield beat Hughes with a shot from a sharp angle. Just over three minutes later, UBC added to their lead with a goal from Sandhu at the 6:33 mark of the third, the captain's second of the season.



"It was a good test of our mental strength there, we had a quick chat right before puck drop," said Butenschon of the nearly hour long intermission. "I've been in those situations as a player and it always seems one team comes out a little flat and one doesn't, so it was great we were the team that came out ready to go and back to business."
 
Toth made a total of 29 saves on the night for this third consecutive win while Hughes and Link made a combined 28 stops.

The 'Birds will look for their second straight weekend sweep to start the season and their second 4-0 start in three campaigns when they hit the ice again at Wayne Fleming Arena Saturday at 12:00 p.m. PT.