WINNIPEG – The UBC Thunderbirds picked up their fifth straight win, and their second consecutive 3-1 victory over the host Manitoba Bisons Saturday afternoon at Winnipeg's Wayne Fleming Arena.
Liam Kindree's team-leading 12
th of the season in the third period stood up as the eventual game winner while
Dorrin Luding made 17 saves for his first win of the season in his first start. The victory also clinches a Canada West playoff berth for the 'Birds for a 12
th straight season.
"I thought both teams were a little bit crispier and sharper, more organized, it was overall just a better hockey game," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon. "Unfortunately we didn't get rewarded in the first period for playing better but it was just great to see Scotty Atkinson score that shorthanded goal in the second period to kind of take the stress off. We were doing a lot of good things and weren't getting rewarded and Scotty and (
Cyle McNabb) out there on the PK kind of took charge and gave us that first goal which kind of settled things down for us."
It was nearly halfway through the second when Atkinson earned his eighth of the season on that shorthanded chance to extend his point streak to five games.
The Bisons (2-15-1) ended up finding the equalizer just 42 seconds into the third off a UBC (16-4) defensive zone turnover. Noah Basarab deflected a Michael King centring feed for his first of the season and a massive one at that.
UBC managed to re-take the lead just under five minutes later when a relatively harmless
Liam Kindree shot from the left hashmarks fooled Hawryluk as the puck snuck in just over the top of his glove.
While he was denied his fifth of the season in the second period,
Jack Wismer eventually found the back of the net when his power play point shot went through traffic and past Hawryluk for some T-Bird insurance with six minutes to go in the third.
"He got rewarded because he plays the game the right way by finding a lane to the net from up high there," said Butenschon, proud to see Wismer get rewarded. Wiz has been a guy who's always got the job done for us even though he's really had to work for it. The guys love him, he's a glue guy in the room so it's great to see him get on the scoresheet as well."
Still with time to try for a late rally, the Bisons were sent to the power play at the 15:11 mark. But UBC completed the kill, going a perfect 7-for-7 on the game.
Things got heated in the dying moments as the Bisons faced their conference-leading 15
th loss of the season, but despite another late power play, it was very much a case of too little, too late for Manitoba as they suffered the season series sweep by the 'Birds.
Luding's win was his first since January 21 of last year, also against the Bisons.
"He looked really good. Our team this year has been very good at limiting shots against and it's hard for our goalies sometimes because they need to feel the puck and stay in the game and have action. For Dorrin, he gets in there for the first time in about a year and he only had four shots in the first period so it's tough to get a feel for the game. To his credit, he stayed mentally tough and he's very good at staying focussed and keeping a routine throughout the game regardless of what's happening."
Now with five straight wins, the blue and gold return home for their first weekend series of 2024 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre when they host the MacEwan Griffins next Friday and Saturday, January 12 and 13.
Tickets are on sale now!
