VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds are one win away from a third straight Canada West Final after a 4-3 win over the host Alberta Golden Bears Friday night at Clare Drake Arena.
Josh Williams scored twice including the game winner as the T-Birds won a 15
th straight game to put the defending conference champions on the ropes in the best-of-three semifinal series.
"I thought we were really gritty, we had huge hits out there, looked like their defencemen started to panic a little bit and rushed plays because of our relentless pressure on the forecheck," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon of his team's effort Friday night. "Sure enough it was a greasy goal on a goalmouth scramble to get the game winner there."
After the Bears scored twice early in the third to tie the game 3-3, the T-Birds held their own the rest of the period. With seven minutes remaining, Williams notched his second of the game, picking up another rebound in the slot for his fourth of the playoffs for what turned out to be the game winner.
"Since we put him at centre he's really been thriving," said Butenschon of Williams' breakout postseason performance. "He seems to be a big game player, big moment player. He's a student of the game so he understands where to go and where to be and he seems to capitalize on his chances."
Jake Kryski opened scoring late in the first period when he picked up his own rebound for his second of the playoffs.
Jack Wismer had the puck poked off his stick by a Bears defenceman but Kryski quickly skated onto it and fired a partially deflected puck onto Alberta goaltender Ethan Kruger. The rookie goaltender made the initial save but couldn't control the rebound as Kryski continued toward the crease and banged home the icebreaker.
With exactly two minutes remaining in the opening frame,
Jonny Lambos was handed a five minute major for interference giving the Bears' second ranked power play (behind only UBC in the regular season) a huge opportunity. But the 'Birds' penalty kill which went a perfect 11-for-11 in the quarter-finals against Regina was up to the task.
Just two seconds after the lengthy power play ended, the Bears got themselves on the board at the 3:02 mark of the second when Josh Patterson slid home a rebound off a Wyatt McLeod shot.
"That was massive, still demoralizing to give the goal up right after we killed the five minutes but the guys did a great job getting in lanes, shutting the middle of the ice down," praised Butenschon "They had active sticks, they knew their assignments, (assistant coach
Jackson Playfair) had them well prepared for their power play and it looked great."
But just 89 seconds later the T-Birds silenced the Clare Drake crowd when
Sam Huo sniped from the slot with his first of the playoffs.
Liam Kindree passed from the right wing boards to Huo at the top of the circle. The rookie T-Bird then skated to the middle and roofed the puck over Kruger with Kindree picking up his sixth point in the last two games with the primary assist.
The 'Birds took their first multi-goal lead of the game with just 69 seconds remaining in the second when
Josh Williams scored his third of the playoffs, converting on a one-timer from a Wismer cross-ice pass.
Facing a rare multi-goal deficit to start the third period, the Bears got back within one less than two minutes in with Daneel Lategan's first of the postseason. The second-year forward collected a loose puck deep in UBC's zone and slid a tricky shot five-hole past
Kaeden Lane.
Less than three minutes later at the 4:31 mark the Bears tied the game 3-3 with Tyler Preziuso's first putting momentum firmly in Alberta's hands. Preziuso snapped the puck off the end of his stick in tight, far side past Lane to get the packed home crowd on their feet.
The T-Birds may have bent in the final period but they sure didn't break, and with seven minutes remaining Williams sealed the deal.
The Bears had their share of chances in the final moments including with the extra attacker but the 'Birds dug in deep and closed out the win to come within one more victory of advancing to a third straight Canada West Final, and a berth at the University Cup national championship.
"We've been in this position before in this building against this team winning on a Friday night," said Butenschon who became the Thunderbirds all-time playoff coaching wins leader with the victory. "They regroup and they come out and they come out hard and just try to run you out of the building so we better not rest on our laurels and tomorrow come back ready for war again."
That war continues Saturday with game two of the best-of-three series which gets underway at 6:00 p.m. PT at Edmonton's Clare Drake Arena.
