VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds scored three times in the final ten minutes to secure a 5-2 season opening win over the visiting Calgary Dinos Friday night in front of more than 2500 fans at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
After staking out a 2-0 lead early in the second period, by the early third the Dinos had tied things up on a Jake Gricius power play goal. But two goals within a 2:08 span from Scott Atkinson and Tian Rask got the T-Birds back in control while Cyle McNabb sealed the victory with a beautiful top shelf tally as UBC starts the new Canada West season in style.
"I thought the first period was excellent, we had a lot of zone time, we got a lot of pucks below the dots and let our forwards eat away in the offensive zone," said UBC Head Coach Sven Butenschon following his team's fifth opening win in his six seasons at the helm. "But, we didn't generate enough scoring chances or shots and their goalie was comfortable and made the saves. Then we just stuck to it, tried to get a little more net-front traffic, tried to have more of a shooting mentality, and eventually they started to go in."
After rookie defenceman
Jake Lee opened scoring with a beautiful toe-drag move to get past a Dinos defenceman before roofing the puck past Carl Tetachuk midway through the first, Rask picked up a rebound early in the second for his first of two on the night to give UBC a 2-0 lead.
But the Dinos continued to look stronger as the game wore on and veteran Bradley Schoonbaert was rewarded with his first of the season at the 11:09 mark of the second to cut the lead in half.
Gricius' power play tally 4:13 into the third quieted the raucous Doug Mitchell crowd to tie the game, but the goal seemed to spur the T-Birds into action as the rest of the period belonged to the home side.
Just after a T-Birds penalty expired, Atkinson picked up a loose puck that had deflected off the end glass off a Sasha Mutala shot. The second year forward then, in the right place at the right time, quickly fired a shot blocker side past Tetachuk.
Little over two minutes later, Rask's second of the night came courtesy of a perfect Sam Huo backhand pass for a goal that kicked UBC's momentum into overdrive.
"They were pressing and we gave up a power play goal against and the energy came down a little bit. After those guys scored the bench felt a lot more comfortable and we got back to work."
Kaeden Lane stopped 25 shots to earn his first Canada West win in goal while Tetachuk made 31 saves, 16 in the second period.
The T-Birds finished 0/3 on the power play while the Dinos converted once on three chances, courtesy of Gricius' first of the season.
Friday's win will go down nicely for the T-Birds but they won't relish it long as the Dinos are back at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre Saturday for the season opening series finale set for 3:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available now and the game will be streamed on Canada West TV.
