LANGLEY, B.C. – 14 different skaters recorded at least a single point as the UBC Thunderbirds picked up their first win of the season in emphatic style 7-1 over the host Trinity Western Spartans Wednesday night at the Langley Events Centre.
Brett Mirwald made 14 saves for his first career Canada West win in goal while the T-Birds special teams also had a strong night in what was by far the squad's most complete 60 minutes of the young Canada West season.
"Losing is extremely difficult for us and we went out there today and played our game," said UBC head coach
Sven Butenschon. "We don't care who our opponent is, we just got to make sure we play our game and we got the result tonight. But what I think what I'm really happy about is just our puck management; our awareness, our attention to detail, our backchecking, all those little things were much, much better."
The T-Birds certainly wanted a quick start and they got just that when
Tian Rask took a drop feed from
Logan Doust and ripped his second of the season top corner past Raphael Audet just 17 seconds after the opening faceoff.
The same line connected again at the 8:03 mark when
Logan Doust's highlight reel finish on the backhand made it 2-0 T-Birds.
Jake Wright made a centring feed and Doust went right down main street, freezing Audet with a backhander for his first of the season.
Before the period was out,
Carson Latimer made it 3-0 for the blue and gold when the rookie forward used his deadly speed to drive hard to the net front, slipping the puck five hole for his third of the campaign.
UBC scored twice within an 18 second span in the second to stake out a 5-0 lead,
Scott Atkinson and
Jonny Lambos both earning their first tallies of the season. Lambos' goal at the 6:45 mark chased Audet from TWU's crease as Leon Sommer entered in relief.
Rask's second of the night – his sixth career multi-goal game – came with 70 seconds remaining in the second. The veteran forward deflected a
Josh Williams shot on the power play to give the 'Birds a commanding 6-0 advantage heading into the final 20 minutes.
The Spartans spoiled Mirwald's shutout bid 4:26 into the third when Luke Spadafora poked in his own rebound after Mirwald made the initial stop on a partial breakaway.
Cyle McNabb restored UBC's six-goal advantage midway through the third, just seconds after a T-Birds power play expired, redirecting the puck off a
Liam Kindree cross-ice feed.
UBC finished the night 1-for-3 on the power play, killing off both of Trinity's man advantages while outshooting the hosts by a 46-15 margin in a true complete effort.
"I thought our D exited the zone very well, our forwards were in good spots for outlets, we didn't turn pucks over," Butenschon said, extoling his team's habits from start to finish. "We really spent more time in the offensive zone and you know me, I love that style of play and it's something we've been really good at over the years and it's something we haven't seen yet this year. So, it's good to see the commitment to get below the dots and spending time in the O zone."
Mirwald's solid performance was overshadowed by the lopsided score, but the former Vancouver Giant was strong when called upon, picking up his first Canada West victory in his former WHL home barn.
"I thought his practice yesterday was outstanding. Just his positional play tonight, pucks were hitting him because he was in the right spot and he looked big in there and confident and played the puck well. It was a great night for him."
With some renewed confidence, the 'Birds are back home Friday night for the back half of the home-and-home set with the Spartans, TWU still in search of their first victory of the season.
Puck drop at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are available now and the game will also be streamed live on
Canada West TV.
