REGINA, Sask. – Sam Huo scored his first career Canada West hat trick as part of a five-point game to lead the UBC Thunderbirds to a resounding 8-1 victory over the host Regina Cougars Friday night at the Co-Operators Centre.
13 different T-Bird skaters got in on the action while Kaeden Lane made 23 saves as UBC has started the season a perfect 3-0 for the second time in the last three years.

"When we're playing at that tempo and that pace, teams have trouble playing with us," said UBC head coach Sven Butenshon. "So it's what we talk about, it's what we practice all week and then it's just great come puck drop when you see the guys executing the game plan."

Jake Lee opened scoring for the 'Birds at 13:05 of the first when he pounced on a rebound for his first of the season. Tian Rask's initial shot from the slot was stopped by Regina goalie Adam Evanoff but Lee crept in from the point and sniped from a sharp angle.

Lee's first of the campaign opened the floodgates as the 'Birds proceeded to score three more within 41 seconds, the second quickest such span in Canada West history.



Jonathan Smart's second goal in as many games came at the 16:49 mark on the power play when his point shot found its way through traffic and past Evanoff.

Just 22 seconds later, Carson Miller made a beautiful cross-ice feed to Jake Kryski who roofed it past an outstretched Evanoff for his first of the season in his first game of the new campaign after missing last week due to injury.

Capping off the flurry was Huo with his second of the season after just another 19 seconds. After winning a defensive zone faceoff, the T-Birds quickly moved up ice. Sasha Mutala and Huo entered the Regina zone on a 2-on-1, the latter redirecting the puck for his second of the season.



The second period didn't start any better for the Cougars as Mutala scored his second of the year just 1:28 into the frame. Huo was sprung on a breakaway by Liam Kindree but fanned on his shot, only to have the trailing Mutala collect the puck and deke out Evanoff, sliding the puck in on the backhand.

After settling things down a bit, the Cougars managed to get on the board themselves at the 13:07 mark of the second when Eric Houk was left unattended in the low slot and able to roof the puck on his backhand past Kaeden Lane for his second of the season.

But before the period was out the T-Birds struck for another pair of quick ones, Huo with his second of the game and third of the season and Matthew Smith with his first, an absolute bomb from the slot.

"I think the line of Mutala, Kindree and him, their execution right now is at an elite level and Sam is a 6-foot-5 workhorse," said Butenschon. "He has an incredible engine, he goes 100 miles an hour every shift and he's got the tools to go with it, so when he's going he's a problem for the other team."


 
Already up 7-1 after 40 minutes, UBC wasn't done yet as Huo capped off his five point night with his first Canada West hat trick, another power play marker just past the four minute park of the third with perhaps his nicest goal as a Thunderbird. The second year forward went end-to-end, breaking right through a trio of Regina penalty killers at their own blue line before roofing the puck past Curtis Meger who had entered in relief in the second period.

Friday night was another strong night on special teams for the blue and gold who went 2-for-6 on the power play while killing off all six Regina chances.

"It's still early on in the season where we're evaluating as coaches, we're learning how to play together as a team so every game matters, every shift matters and it doesn't really matter what the score is, we have a job to do every night," said Butenschon about his team's pedal down attitude on display Friday night. "The guys are sticking to the game plan and playing to our capabilities regardless of the situation."

Saturday's rematch with the Cougars is set for 4:00 p.m. PT in Regina. The game will be available live on Canada West TV.