EDMONTON – In what felt every bit like another playoff battle at Clare Drake Arena, the UBC Thunderbirds fell just short, snapping their win streak at 10 games with a 3-2 overtime loss Saturday night to the Alberta Golden Bears.

The T-Birds (21-4-1) battled back to force extra time after Cyle McNabb tied the game late in the third. But Alberta's ninth power play of the game led to the key 4-on-3 overtime advantage where Bears captain Josh Prokop scored the winner just 37 seconds in.

"The compete level was through the roof, our battle was through the roof, our intensity was through the roof, but our composure and execution wasn't there," said UBC head coach Sven Butenschon following his team's first overtime loss of the season. "We didn't get a chance to sustain pressure in the O-zone, that's our trademark, right. We spend time below the dots, we wear teams down and we just couldn't get that going this weekend for some reason."



Like the night prior, the 'Birds opened scoring in the first period, this time courtesy of Jack Wismer's sixth of the season. A wrister from the slot deflected off a Golden Bear stick and past Ethan Kruger at the 3:18 mark.

Alberta (17-7-2) evened things up when Tyler Preziuso let a quick snapshot rip from in tight, right off an offensive zone faceoff for his eighth.

The Bears then took their first lead of the weekend less than five minutes later on the power play when Alex Thacker scored his sixth of the season.

The game wouldn't see another tally until late in the third when McNabb's low shot on the power play got through traffic and past a screened Kruger with just over four minutes in regulation.



"He was totally engaged the entire weekend," Butenschon said of McNabb who now has seven points in his last four games. "On the ice, on the bench, in the room, at lunch, he was just really energized. He brought a lot of jam on the road trip and he does have the tools. You get a guy that's big and strong and skates well and has a great shot with the right attitude – that's a dangerous player."

Similar to Friday night, Saturday's final meeting between the two contenders was a penalty filled affair with Alberta getting their eighth power play of the night with just over two minutes remaining. The T-Birds held on for the kill but just as the Alberta power play expired, the hosts went right back to the man advantage when UBC was called for too many men for the second time in the game.

Starting overtime still with 1:53 of what was now a 4-on-3 power play, it took the Bears all of 37 seconds for Prokop to convert on a one-timer for his 12^th of the season, denying UBC the season series sweep and snapping the 'Birds' win streak.



UBC does keep their point-streak alive, now at 11 games and counting, and remains in the driver's seat in their bid to secure first place in the conference and a first round playoff bye. The three-point weekend in Edmonton holds the 'Birds in a three-point lead for first heading into the final weekend of the regular season which will see UBC return home to host the second place Mount Royal Cougars next Friday and Saturday.

"What a great way to finish with games like that. You got Mount Royal with first or second place on the line and huge playoff implications – I expect next weekend to be the same. If those tight games right now help us in the playoffs then that's great."

Puck drop Friday, February 9 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre is set for 7:00 p.m. with Saturday's regular season finale scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Tickets for both are available now.