VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds once again powered their way to victory with a strong final period, outscoring the Trinity Western Spartans 3-1 in the frame for the 6-3 win as the blue and gold head into 2025 on an eight game win streak and alone atop the Canada West's West Division.
Scoring three times in the first and again in the third, the T-Birds (12-5-1) were led by
Scott Atkinson who completed his first career Canada West hat trick while UBC scored six or more goals for the fourth consecutive game.
"In general it was another great weekend, we're scoring lots of goals so that's a positive, a great way to go into the Christmas break," said UBC head coach,
Sven Butenschon, as his team leapfrogged the Mount Royal Cougars to take a one point lead atop the division. "For whatever reason (TWU) were able to find another level in the second period and they looked good and we couldn't handle some of their pressure. Some of our veteran guys just couldn't make a play when we needed to and they took advantage, they got some momentum."
The Spartans (2-15-1) opened scoring just 96 seconds after puck drop when a low Jeremy Klessens shot got past
Cole Schwebius, but the T-Birds quickly turned the tables to stake out a 3-1 lead before the period was out.
Atkinson responded just 29 seconds later and scored again at the 11:29 mark, rifling his sixth of the season from the slot off a nice pass from
James Form along the right wing boards.
Jack Wismer gave UBC the two goal lead on the power play, deftly deflecting the puck off a
Ty Thorpe pass for his fourth of the season and second in as many games.
Schwebius kept his team in front by a pair after a tremendous stick save on a 2-on-0 rush by the Spartans, denying Daine DuBois late in the period.
Despite out chancing the Spartans by a wide margin in the second, Trinity managed to cut the UBC lead to one with Connor Farren getting a stick on a loose puck in the crease for his fourth of the season. A contentious goal with the T-Birds believing Schwebius had the puck clearly frozen, the play was allowed to continue and the goal stood while UBC ended up on the penalty kill after a scrum.
The 'Birds got the kill and a late period power play of their own generated a number of scoring opportunities but between Leon Sommer standing tall in net and the puck seeming to bounce off UBC's sticks with regularity, the T-Birds couldn't manage to restore their two-goal advantage.
Similar to the night prior, UBC put together a dominant final period which allowed them to pull away for good.
Jake Lee's second of the season capped off a three-point night for the third-year blue liner as he patiently waited for his lane to open up, a laser of a wrister getting past Sommer, blocker side.
Chris Douglas opened up a 5-2 lead for the 'Birds at the 7:06 mark when the UBC captain scored his team's first shorthanded tally of the season. He received a stretch feed from
Matthew Smith and powered his way to the net, outwaiting Sommer and roofing it into the far corner.
Atkinson completed his first Canada West hat trick with one of his prettiest goals as a Thunderbird. The fourth-year forward split through Trinity's defence and shot the puck far side.
Farren got one back for the Spartans with just over three minutes remaining, taking advantage of a T-Birds turnover along the boards in their own zone for his second of the game.
Despite earning a five minute power play with just under two minutes remaining, the Spartans weren't able to claw back any further as the Thunderbirds earned their eighth straight win to head into the December break.
"It's my least favourite thing about this league and this team and this job is you can feel heaviness of the school schedule and exams," said Butenschon about the challenges of the coming month. "In the last day and a half, all they're talking about is their exams and studying. You allow them to focus on that, we encourage them to make sure you come and work out and sweat and exercise and touch pucks and get on the ice because it is such a long time off. And the crazy thing is, we got two massive games real quick in early January there so there's not even that much practice time once the new year starts. It's challenging but they're a high character group and we're going to be fine."
Off from Canada West action until January 10 when the 'Birds host Mount Royal for a critical weekend series, the blue and gold will certainly make good use of the coming five weeks to rest bodies after a grueling first half of the season that's seen the defending Canada West Champions once again look like a force to contend with.
