LANGLEY, British Columbia –Trinity Western Spartans third-year forward Mikhailo Simchuk (Kyiv) scored the game winner in a shootout to defeat the Alberta Golden Bears 4-3 (1-0) to earn their first win of the season Saturday night at the George Preston Recreation Centre in Langley, B.C. The win improves the Spartans to 1-8-0-1, while the loss drops the Golden Bears to 6-3-1-1.
 
Scoring for the Spartans were second-year forward Artem Hrabovetskyi (Kyiv) with his third of the season, first-year forward James Swan (Ville Saint-Laurent, QC) with his second of the season, and third-year forward Christian Lowe (Port Moody, B.C.).
 
Scoring for the Golden Bears were Tyson Laventure with his fifth of the season, Noah Boyko with his second of the season, and Justin Hall with his third of the season.
 
Trinity Western's third-year goalie Leon Sommer (Linz, Austria) (18) in 20 minutes, and second-year goalie Cole Savage (Abbotsford, B.C.) (36) in 45 minutes, combined to make 54 saves in the Spartans' win. Alberta's Ethan Kruger made 29 saves in the Bears' loss.
 
UP NEXT
After a week off, the Spartans will take on the Calgary Dinos on November 14-15 at the Langley Events Centre and the Aldergrove Credit Union Community Centre. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PT) and 7:15 p.m. (PT). Both games can be seen live on Canada West TV.
 
QUOTABLE
Ben Walter, TWU Head Coach
"It was just a solid, solid game for us. We've been building towards playing a certain way. ?And I thought this whole weekend was our best weekend in terms of doing that. We played with speed, our forecheck was really good, and our Special Teams were good. ?Now we need to take it as a blueprint for moving forward. This is how we need to play in this league."
On Cole getting his first win
"I'm really happy for Cole. He's been working so hard in practice and being such a good teammate. ?And he got his opportunity today. And he took it and ran with it. So I know the whole team's really happy for him, and I am as well."
AS IT HAPPENED
The first period began with both the Spartans and Alberta unable to capitalize on their respective power-play opportunities. The period concluded with neither team finding the back of the net, leaving the score tied at 0-0.
 
Trinity Western capitalized on a power play early in the second period when Artem Hrabovetskyi scored at 3:18, assisted by Christian Lowe and Jonathan Krahn, to put the home team ahead. Alberta quickly responded with a goal from Laventure at 5:39, leveling the score. James Swan restored the Spartans' lead with a power-play goal at 8:42, assisted by Hrabovetskyi and Connor Farren. Lowe then extended the lead to 3-1 with a goal at 12:10. However, Alberta's Noah Boyko scored just before the end of the period at 19:58, assisted by Alex Thacker, narrowing the gap to 3-2 as the teams headed into the intermission.
 
In the third period, Alberta capitalized on their power play opportunity to break the tie against Trinity Western. At 6:38, Justin Hall scored his third goal of the season, assisted by Thacker and Owen Pederson. The goal came during a power play following an interference penalty on Hrabovetskyi. Trinity Western had a chance to respond with their own power play. The period ended with a 3-3 tie.
 
The overtime was scoreless, with the lone goal of the shootout coming on the Spartans' first attempt.
 
NOTABLE

• The Golden Bears outshot the Spartans 57-33.
• TWU was 1-3 on the power play, while Alberta finished 1-4.
• TWU is currently 2-13 lifetime against Alberta.
• Last night the Spartans dropped a 4-2 decision to the Golden Bears at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.

 
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, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as in the NAIA in track and field and cross country and as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 33 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  
 
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