VANCOUVER – Chris Douglas and Scott Atkinson both had career-high five point nights as the UBC Thunderbirds scored three times in the third to defeat the visiting Manitoba Bisons 6-4, extending their season-long win streak to five games.
Tied 3-3 heading to the final period, Tian Rask deflected a Conner McDonald point shot midway through the frame to give the 'Birds (13-6-2) their second lead of the game.
But a determined Bisons squad, needing a win to leapfrog the Regina Cougars into the conference's final playoff berth, tied the game yet again on a Parker Malchuk power play goal with less than four minutes to play.
With overtime looming, it should have come as no surprise the two teams – who combined for 25 goals in their two-game series in Winnipeg back in October – weren't done scoring in regulation. With 1:40 on the clock, Douglas won a puck battle in the Bisons' corner and fed it to Atkinson who wristed his second of the game and ninth of the season past Ross Hawryluk's glove for what stood up as the game winner.
Douglas added an empty netter to seal his five point effort with 0.8 seconds on the clock as the 'Birds clinched the season series win over the Bisons who dropped their fifth straight.
"It wasn't a Picasso out there by any means," admitted UBC head coach Sven Butenschon. "That was a huge opportunity for Manitoba to take advantage and try to get in that last playoff spot so they had lots to play for, lots of desperation on their end and they defended well. It's never an easy game against Manitoba in all my years here."
The Bisons (7-13-1) had as good a start to the first as any road team could hope for, staking out a 2-0 lead by the middle of the period. Dylan Thiessen and Noah Basarab scored just 46 seconds apart to stun the T-Birds and a sizeable home crowd at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
But just 1:18 after Basarab's second of the season, Atkinson buried on the backhand off a Douglas rebound to cut the visitors' lead in half.
Ending the first period with a 19-10 edge in shots, the T-Birds picked up right where they left off in the second when Cyle McNabb and Jake Lee scored less than two minutes apart to take their first lead of the game. McNabb's tenth of the season came via a deflection off a Douglas spinning shot from the slot. Lee's go-ahead goal at the 7:12 mark on the power play was a thing of beauty, dragging past a Bison penalty killer before wristing the puck over Hawryluk's shoulder, short side for his team-leading 12th.
But before the period was out the Bisons evened things up with a power play goal of their own when Thiessen converted on a high-tip from a Jonny Hooker pass to the slot, setting up the wild final frame.
Atkinson, Douglas and McNabb's line combined for 12 total points while also setting the tone and providing the team with some much needed energy at key moments.
"Right off the bat, first period, the game's getting a bit sleepy or we're cheating on offence and then they'll go out there and spend a minute just working hard and finishing checks and spending time in the offensive zone and then the rest of the group follows," said Butenschon, praising his top producing line. "It happened two or three times throughout the game and that's kind of what we had in mind with those guys. They're all professionals, they play the game the right way and it's great for the young guys to watch."
The win allowed the 'Birds to leapfrog the Saskatchewan Huskies into the fourth and final home playoff berth while also pulling within one point of clinching a postseason spot which they can accomplish with a win Saturday afternoon.
"We did a lot of good things but hockey's a funny game and there's lots going on out there," added Butenschon of the rollercoaster affair Friday night. "When you got a team fighting for their playoff lives, there's a little more there. They want to keep their season going and it's good for us though, you don't get soft, every shift means something. Going down the stretch run if we can have outcomes where you're getting results and you're also growing as a group, that's massive."
Kaeden Lane made 26 saves, picking up the win in net for his fifth victory in as many starts.
Saturday's final regular season matchup between the 'Birds and Bisons is set for 2:00 p.m. PT at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. Tickets are available online and the game will also be streamed live on Canada West TV.
