VANCOUVER –
Cole Schwebius was outstanding yet again, making 19 saves for his first shutout of the season, leading the UBC Thunderbirds to a 3-0 win Saturday afternoon over the Calgary Dinos, completing the weekend sweep and heading into the team's Canada West bye week on a four-game win streak.
Ty Thorpe led the way on offence with his third multi-point effort of the season including his sixth goal of the campaign as the T-Birds (8-5-1) have now evened up their season series with the Dinos (6-5-1) while remaining just one point back of the West Division leading Mount Royal Cougars at the halfway mark of the season.
"We have such nice rhythm right now, we're managing the week very well and I think the guys are understanding what they need to do to take care of their bodies," said UBC head coach,
Sven Butenschon following perhaps the most complete two-game series for his squad so far this year. "From Friday night puck drop to the buzzer on Saturday, we had tons of energy and jam and our legs were there, our structure was there; it's such a great team effort for six periods."
Looking perhaps more like the type of game one could expect between these two bitter rivals compared to Friday night's 5-1 Thunderbirds victory, it took nearly 37 minutes for the first goal Saturday. On their second power play of the afternoon,
Liam Kindree popped home a rebound, finally solving Carl Tetachuk who was tremendous in goal less than 24 hours after being pulled in the third period. The Dinos goaltender stopped a
Carson Latimer chance from the slot but Kindree was fast onto the loose puck, scoring his second of the season.
The goal came after yet another strong start out of the gate for the Dinos who also had the game's first two power play chances, both in the opening frame.
"We knew they were going to push back. When it's a 0-0 game and you have a couple kills, man we got real energized and confident after those kills," said Butenschon, his team finishing the weekend 6-for-7 on the PK. "It's just good to see as a coaching staff because the attention to detail and understanding assignments and buying in to what we're talking about, it really comes through on the special teams. The kills were just outstanding."
Jake Wright doubled UBC's lead five minutes into the third on another rebound after Tetachuk made an initial stop off a
Conner McDonald one-timer blast. Wright's sixth of the season now has the second-year forward tied with Thorpe and
Sam Huo for the team lead.
With Tetachuk on the bench for the extra attacker,
Jake Lee poked the puck loose along the boards in the T-Birds' zone over to Thorpe who hit the empty net for his second point of the game, sealing the victory and UBC's first regular season weekend sweep of the Dinos since January of 2012.
The 'Birds once again limited the Dinos' opportunities late in the game, holding Calgary to just five third period shots as UBC was dogged in their determination at both ends of the ice the entire 60 minutes.
"When you really buy into being on the right side of every situation, it's frustrating to play against because (Calgary), even though they're doing the right thing and they're making plays, you look up and there's still blue jerseys in front of you. And there's a second blue jersey if you do get by that guy. That's like in the NHL, the Carolinas out there, they seem to be rolling and that's exactly how they play and we love to replicate that kind of style."
Schwebius' sixth win in as many starts was also his fourth career Canada West shutout as the defending conference player of the week just might be up for consideration once again.
Now off from action until November 29
th when they host the Manitoba Bisons for the first of two weekend tilts, the T-Birds have guaranteed themselves to hold onto a least a share of second in the division having opened up a four-point lead over the Dinos.
Tickets for the T-Birds' only games this season against Manitoba are on sale now.
