LANGLEY, B.C. – The Spartans men's hockey team suffered its first loss of the season Thursday, falling 6-3 to Simon Fraser at the Langley Events Centre. 
 
Kyle Bergh had a hat-trick for the SFU (8-5-0-2), while Eric Callegari, Mateo Coltellaro and Takato Cox picked up singles.
 
Spencer Gerth (Langley), Travis Verveda (Alix, Alta.) and Jordan Bogress (Ladner, B.C.) scored for TWU (12-1-0-0), with Lucas Mills (Burnaby) making 21 saves in the loss. 
 
Less than five minutes into the game it was the visitors who struck first, when Callegari beat Mills with a wrister on the powerplay to make it 1-0 SFU.  
 
TWU however quickly responded, with Gerth scoring off a Kade Vilio (Aldergrove, B.C.) deflection just outside the crease to pick up his first goal of the season and tie it 1-1. 
 
The Clan then regained their lead with five minutes remaining in the period, after Spartans goaltender Mills got tied up with Elijah Vilio (Aldergrove, B.C.) before Bergh potted his first of the game to make it 2-1 SFU. Bergh then added another on the powerplay with just 1:12 remaining in the first, receiving a cross ice pass from Cox before deking around the challenging Mills to make it 3-1. 
 
Simon Fraser continued rolling offensively in the second period, with Bergh picking up the hat-trick with a goal line deflection at 6:47 to make it 4-1. Coltellaro then pushed the Clan lead to 5-1 nine minutes later, scoring off a slapshot and beating Mills on the glove side.
 
The Spartans then got one back late in the third on a 5-on-3 powerplay, when Verveda fired a one-timer past Zubick to make it 5-2.
 
TWU then cut the lead to two goals in the third period, after Bogress took a Trent Vilio (Aldergrove, B.C.) no-look pass and fired a wrist shot short side past Zubick with just under seven minutes left to make it 5-3. 
 
Despite the late push, the Spartans comeback would fall short, as Cox would add one more in favour of the Clan late as they held on for the win.
 
Simon Fraser goaltender Patrick Zubick made 32 saves to pick up his fourth win of the season (5-3-0-0).
 
The Spartans converted on 17% of their power plays (1 for 6), while Simon Fraser went 20% (2 for 10).
 
QUOTABLE
Chris Trendall – TWU Assistant Coach
 
"We knew SFU would come out on fire, and the first couple periods they really took it to us. They had a couple powerplay goals which meant we had to readjust, but our guys battled much harder into the second half of the game. In the end we have to give credit to them for picking up the win. Now we have 36 hours to be ready to go for the next one.
 
On Saturday's upcoming rematch
"We need to keep things simple next game. There were a bunch of turnovers by the blueline we need to improve on. At times were able to get pucks deep and get some shots off behind the defence, but we need to keep it simple, stay disciplined, stay out of the box and be ready from the start."
 
NOTABLE

• A Spartans win would have matched the BCIHL record of 13-straight in the same season, when Selkirk won 13 consecutive games during the 2012-13 season. 
• TWU is now 1-3 against Simon Fraser this season, with its last win against the Clan coming Nov. 28 (4-3 OT).
• It was the Clans first win in Langley since Jan. 3, 2019 (5-4).

 
NEXT UP
The Spartans head to Burnaby to take on Simon Fraser in a rematch Saturday (7 p.m. PT) at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. 

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men's hockey and as an independent team in men's rugby. The men's and women's hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.
 
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