VANCOUVER – Goals were hard to come by Friday night at Father Bauer Arena but entertainment was not as the UBC Thunderbirds (11-1-1) eked out a 3-1 win over the Alberta Golden Bears (7-5-1) in a playoff type atmosphere between two Canada West heavyweight contenders.
After staking out a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes, the T-Birds were relentless in the second period but Ethan Kruger stopped all 15 shots he faced in the frame to keep his team in the fight.
Blake Gustafson got the Golden Bears on the board early in the third, sparking some energy on the Alberta bench, but
Chris Douglas hit the empty net to seal the victory, UBC's third in as many games against their rivals from Edmonton this season while extending the team's point streak to 12 games.
"It was a real strong test of discipline because we were doing so many good things but we weren't finishing. I'm really proud of the guys for just sticking to the process and not forcing anything," said UBC head coach,
Sven Butenschon, following his squad's sixth win over Alberta in their last seven meetings. "It felt like a playoff game so every little play really mattered. I'm a little disappointed in the power play tonight but for the most part it was a solid effort by the boys."
The 'Birds had back-to-back power play opportunities early in the third period, Dylan Ruptash called for interference at 5:47 followed by Jayden Joly for a trip at the eight minute mark. Despite plenty of zone time and opportunities, UBC just couldn't find a way to restore their two-goal advantage, finishing the night 0-for-4.
Alberta placed Kruger on the bench for the extra attacker with just under two minutes remaining, but Douglas' empty netter with just 16 seconds remaining secured UBC's 11
th win in their last 12 games on the captain's seven goal of the season and 100
th career Canada West point.
It was a just result for a T-Birds team which, despite the close score on the board, played one of their most dominant efforts of the season, outshooting the Bears 42-16.
"One line after another, after another, I thought (
Logan Doust's) line was fantastic tonight.
Josh Williams,
Reilley Kotai and
Nathan Sullivan, they're all six-foot-4, 210, 220 pounds, all heavy bodies that are strong on the puck. Imagine playing against that line all night, I wouldn't want to. Then you got Scotty (Atkinson), Dougy and
Sasha Mutala doing their thing and
Ty Thorpe's line with
Cyle McNabb and
Jake Wright, they're always a threat to do damage. I just really loved our forward group tonight."
Doust broke the ice early with his second of the season just 3:16 after puck drop. The fourth-year collected a loose puck in the neutral zone, burst in on Kruger on a 2-on-1 with
James Form and sniped, blocker side.
Kotai's fourth doubled UBC's lead at 12:46, taking a centring feed from Williams and rifling it five-hole.
Joel Sexsmith hit the post five minutes into the second period, and
Cole Schwebius made an incredible acrobatic save on Tyson Laventure with about five minutes remaining in the frame, but otherwise it was all Thunderbirds.
Coming in waves, the 'Birds did everything but score, thanks in large part to Kruger, the veteran goaltender stopping 39 of UBC's 41 shots on the night.
Schwebius denied Laventure again midway through the third on a high danger shorthanded chance, only to have Kruger answer seconds later denying Mutala on a breakaway.
Alberta's only goal of the night came off a rare UBC gaffe in the defensive zone, a turnover leading to a centring feed to Gustafson who made things interesting with his second of the season.
But the 'Birds held firm the rest of the way, Schwebius picking up his sixth win of the season between the pipes.
UBC will have the opportunity to clinch the season series over their division rivals Saturday in the final regular season meeting at home against the Bears, which would also open up a ten point lead over Alberta in the west division standings.
"I treat every game kind of like it's its own," Butenschon said, not focussed on the consequences of Saturday's rematch beyond the two points up for grabs. "We only play 28 games so I try to enjoy and savour every game. For me it's almost like every game's a best of seven, try to win that game and enjoy that night."
Puck drop at Father Bauer Arena Saturday is set for 3:00 p.m.
Tickets are available online and the game will be streamed live on
Canada West TV.
