SASKATOON, Sask. – Josh Williams put up a four-point game while the UBC Thunderbirds scored three times on the power play to thoroughly rebound and earn a full value 7-4 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place.

Extending their point streak to 15 games and taking three of four points off the Huskies to clinch the season series, the T-Birds outshot the hosts 36-17 in a tour de force for a most satisfying win in the same building in which they ended their 2024-25 season.

"To a man, everybody came to the rink with a real purpose," said UBC head coach, Sven Butenschon, impressed with his team's improved finish around the net and all around dominant performance. "The guys just seem to find another level on the Saturday games. As good as we've been playing, on Saturday it's just beautiful to watch, I'm so lucky to be a part of this because of the sense of urgency, buying into the style of play. It's hard when you lose a heartbreaker on the Friday, you can't sleep well because you're thinking about your opportunities, a little PTSD from losing to Sask in playoffs last year, but you wouldn't have guessed it when you walked into the rink before the game."



Perhaps the Huskies' most impressive portion of Saturday's rematch came right off the opening faceoff, testing T-Birds netminder Cole Schwebius several times in the opening few minutes. But the 'Birds refused to allow Saskatchewan any sustained zone time and shortly after were able to open scoring themselves with Reilley Kotai's sixth of the season, the rookie taking advantage of an ill-advised Huskies pass out of the corner.

After suffering through two lengthy five-on-three penalty kills Friday, the 'Birds found themselves down two men yet again, Conner Roulette taking advantage by evening things up with his seventh of the season.

But little over four minutes later, Williams scored his first of two on the night after Sasha Mutala sent him in alone on Jordan Kooy while on UBC's first power play of the game.

Jake Wright gave the 'Birds a two-goal advantage heading into the break with his ninth at 17:45.

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The Huskies clawed back within one when Josh Pillar one-timed the puck on the man advantage 4:40 into the second period. But Jake Lee and Williams struck 92 seconds apart to open up a 5-2 UBC lead, chasing Kooy from the net after allowing five goals on 13 shots.

Pillar scored his second power play goal of the period at the 10:34 mark but Chris Douglas answered back on a UBC man advantage, the captain blasting a one-timer slap shot from the top of the right circle to send the 'Birds into the third up 6-3.

Douglas sniped his second of the game and 11^th of the season 12:21 into the third with Mutala earning his fourth helper of the night on the centring feed.

With the game's end result all but certain, Raphael Pelletier cut the deficit to three with his third of the season, the clock reading little under five minutes remaining.



After relieving Kooy, Bryan Thomson stopped 21 of 23 UBC shots while Schwebius made 13 saves to collect his seventh win of the season.

"I think it's about seven games now, possibly eight, and we've played really well and we haven't really broken the dam," said Butenschon of their recent battles with the Huskies. "Eventually the goals were going to come. I thought Reilley Kotai getting us on the board early was a nice tone-setter because that line was kind of average the night before. I think they took it upon themselves to be better with (Nathan) Sullivan and Williams and they got us that early goal.

"The power play came through when we needed it. Leezer's goal was a big one too because yesterday in the second period we lost a bit of momentum and today in the second period there were times it started to feel that way, so that power play goal was huge."

Already up to 13 wins on the campaign, the 'Birds will now turn their focus to the Trinity Western Spartans with a home-and-home series next week closing out the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule.

Puck drop Thursday, December 4 at the Langley Events Centre is set for 7:00 p.m. with the back half and final game of 2025 on Friday the 5^th at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, also a 7:00 p.m. start. Tickets for the final home game of the calendar year are available online now.