VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds scored twice in each period and four times on the power play for a bounce back 6-2 win over the visiting Grant MacEwan Griffins Friday night in a feisty, penalty-filled affair at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Sam Huo had a pair of goals as he, Ethan McIndoe, and captain Chris Douglas each had a three-point game while Dorrin Luding made 32 saves for his first win of the season in goal.
"Not playing for two weeks, it doesn't matter who your opponent is, you got to come out with energy and lots of jam and I thought we did that," said UBC Head Coach Sven Butenschon following his team's first win in their last three games. "We did a lot of good little things. We talked about maybe adding some more desperation to our game and I thought we did that."
Up 2-1 late in the second period, the 'Birds (4-2-1) scored twice on the power play within a 2:28 span to take command of the game. McIndoe earned his third point of the night when he deflected a Sasha Mutala shot for his fourth goal of the season at the 15:19 mark. Before the period was out, Huo's second of the game and third of the season gave UBC a three goal advantage on a lethal wrister from the top of the left circle.
The Griffins (3-4-0) did get one back midway through the third, on the power play, a slap shot blast by Ryley Appelt – his second of the game – giving the visitors from Edmonton some much needed life. But instead of picking up momentum, MacEwan found themselves on a parade to the penalty box from there on out.
Jake Lee put the game on ice with 62 seconds left with his team-leading sixth of the season on the power play, knifing the puck through plenty of traffic, giving the rookie defenceman points in six of seven games so far this season as his team went ahead 5-2.
For good measure, the 'Birds added another with just 18.5 seconds on the clock as Jordan Sandhu scored his first in the blue and gold when he deflected home a Noah Form point shot.
Both teams managed to find themselves on nine power plays with the 'Birds converting on four them. MacEwan scored once with the man advantage but also added a shorthanded goal in the first period, courtesy of Appelt.
The game finished with 115 total minutes in penalties.
"We sure practiced a lot, we did a lot of video, we moved some people around and tried to find something that clicks," said Butenschon of his team's power play which has improved to 28.6 percent on the season. "Sam Huo was outstanding on the halfwall there, Conner McDonald with a great breakout on the one that led to a goal, Lee at the top, Mutala setting stuff up on his side, everybody was kind of contributing."
The win is a much-needed boost for the 'Birds who felt they deserved better in their past two games in which they came up empty-handed. The challenge for UBC now is completing the weekend sweep against a Griffins team that has yet to come away without a win in each series so far this season.
Puck drop Saturday is set for 3:00 p.m. PT at Father David Bauer Arena. Tickets for what's sure to be another emotion-filled battle are on sale now and the game will also be streamed live on Canada West TV.
