The UBC men’s hockey team brought home a clean sweep against the University of Regina Cougars this past weekend.
The Thunderbirds played a very offence-heavy weekend, scoring 13 goals between Friday’s 8–1 win and Saturday’s 5–4 win.
The ‘Birds came out to play on Friday night, scoring four goals in the first period. Defenseman Jake Lee opened the scoring in the 14th minute. The second goal, made by Jonathan Smart on a powerplay, launched the Thunderbirds into a rapid-fire attack, with 3 goals scored within 41 seconds of gameplay. Jake Kryski swooped in with goal number three immediately following Smart’s goal and Sam Huo made the fourth, ending the first period with a 4–0 lead.
The offensive push continued in the second period, with Sasha Mutala scoring a fifth goal for the ‘Birds only a minute and a half into the period. Goalie Kaeden Lane played a strong net game, letting in only 1 of the 22 shots on goal made by the Cougars — the single point coming in the second period. Huo and Matthew Smith scored the sixth and seventh goals for the Thunderbirds, bringing them to a 7–1 score at the end of the second period.
The T-Birds started the third period on a powerplay, allowing Huo to break away and score his third goal of the game, earning himself a hat trick and the team an 8–1 win.
On Saturday, the Cougars were ready for a much more competitive game. They scored two goals within the first eight minutes of the first period, and only let in one Thunderbirds goal, made by Liam Kindree on a UBC powerplay.
The Cougars commanded the second period, scoring their third and fourth goals. But with 3 minutes left in the period, UBC captain Chris Douglas scored a shorthanded goal, ending the second period with a 4–2 score for the Cougars.
The third period had much more competitive play from the ‘Birds, both offensively and defensively. Huo and Kindree both scored in the last five minutes of play in the third period, tying up the game and sending it to overtime. After a goal-free period of overtime, Kindree scored his third goal of the game in the first shootout round, giving the Thunderbirds their second win of the weekend.
This weekend’s wins place the T-Birds in a tie for first in Canada West alongside the University of Calgary Dinos and University of Saskatchewan Huskies, all of whom have 4–0 records.
You can watch the Thunderbirds play at home versus the University of Manitoba Bisons at Father David Bauer Arena on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.