VANCOUVER – Matt Revel and Scott Atkinson each scored twice as the UBC Thunderbirds romped over the visiting Trinity Western Spartans, 7-2 Friday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
After falling down by two in the opening period, the Spartans (2-17) battled back with a pair of second period goals, but the T-Birds (13-5-1) scored three unanswered in the third to claim their eighth home ice win of the season while remaining in a tie with the Mount Royal Cougars for second place in the Canada West.
"We prepared our practice this week and training and game plan tactically knowing that we have time to rest tomorrow," said UBC Head Coach Sven Butenschon whose team won't play their final game of the season until next Saturday night. "It was a great job executing the plan by the guys so hopefully we can rest up, regenerate and do the same thing next week."
The T-Birds came out flying, firing pucks toward the Spartans net early and often while staking out a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old thanks to Jake Kryski's seventh just 61 seconds in, followed by Atkinson's seventh at the 5:51 mark.
TWU got some much needed momentum 7:25 into the second when Jarrett Penner scored his second of the season on a rebound at the top of a crowded crease.
Chris Douglas restored UBC's two-goal lead just over three minutes later, rifling the puck over Spartans netminder Isaac LaBelle's right shoulder, having received a cross-ice feed from Kryski.
Revel's first of two power play goals on the night gave the 'Birds a 4-1 lead with seven minutes remaining in the second, deflecting a Jonathan Smart point shot off the post, off LaBelle's back, and in for his fifth of the campaign.
But the Spartans remained a determined bunch, cutting UBC's lead to two before the break with Kolby Johnson's third. The former York Lion was left alone in the slot, making good on a beautiful backhand feed from Spencer Gerth, beating Rylan Toth glove side.
After the late second period push by the Spartans, the third belonged to the T-Birds, kick-started by Revel's second of the game, another power play deflection, once again off a Smart point shot.
Matthew Smith finished off a three-point game with his first goal as a Thunderbird at the 16:58 mark, scoring on a delayed penalty, getting the puck through net front traffic to give UBC a 6-2 lead.
Atkinson capped off his own multi-point game with his second goal of the night and eighth of the season with just 1:36 remaining, tipping home another Smart point shot.
The T-Birds finished the game an impressive 2-for-4 on the power play while killing off all three TWU attempts.
Toth picked up his 11th win of the season making 22 saves in the process as UBC put up 45 total shots on LaBelle.
The win was made all the more impressive given the 'Birds dressed just ten forwards.
"It changes the vibe in the dressing room because everybody knows they're going to get tons of ice time, tons of opportunity," added Butenschon whose team improved to 8-1 on home ice. "It was a different vibe, our guys really responded with it. I liked our third period, we're starting to see a bit of that that we saw at the beginning of the year where we really turn it up in the second half of the game. I'm liking what I'm seeing with conditioning and wearing teams down."
The win for UBC keeps pace with Mount Royal for second in the conference after the Cougars downed the Dinos Friday night, keeping the T-Birds' hopes for a first round playoff bye alive. If Calgary earns the weekend split Saturday night, a UBC win over TWU next Saturday night would clinch that bye while a Mount Royal win would mean the 'Birds will have to settle for hosting a quarter-final series in two weeks' time.
That final game of the regular season is set for 7:00 p.m. next Saturday, February 19 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre where the 'Birds will also look to sweep their six-game season series with the Spartans.
Game highlights
