VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trinity Western fifth-year goalie
Steven Bacovsky (Calgary, Alta.) made 39 saves, but a hat trick from UBC's Brayden Schuurman helped the Thunderbirds defeat the Spartans 4-1 Saturday afternoon at Father David Bauer Arena in Vancouver. The loss drops TWU to 0-3-1-0, while UBC improves to 3-1-0 in Canada West play.
Third-year forward
Lleyton Shearon (Langley, B.C.) scored the Spartans' lone goal late in the third period on a shorthanded marker, with second-year forwards
Aiden Knutson (Red Deer, Alta.) and second-year defenceman
Tristan Serrao (Calgary, Alta.) recording the assists.
Schuurman, a second-year forward from Abbotsford, B.C., finished with three goals and an assist, while fourth-year forward Ty Thorpe (Winnipeg, Man.) added a power-play goal. Fifth-year forward Josh Williams (Langley, B.C.) recorded three assists for the Thunderbirds.
Bacovsky finished with 39 saves on 43 shots, while UBC's Brendan Gee stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced.
UP NEXT
The Spartans return home to host the MacEwan Griffins on Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, at the ARENAS at the Langley Events Centre. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. (PT) Friday and 3 p.m. (PT) Saturday. Both games can be seen live on Canada West TV.
AS IT HAPPENED
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring just 29 seconds into the first period when Schuurman scored his fourth goal of the season, with Williams and Austin Fraser picking up the assists. Bacovsky stopped the remaining 14 shots he faced in the period to keep the Spartans within a goal. UBC finished the opening 20 minutes with a 15-10 edge in shots.
UBC doubled its lead 39 seconds into the second period when Thorpe scored on the power play, with Schuurman and Keaton Dowhaniuk assisting. TWU had three power-play opportunities in the middle frame but was unable to get on the board. Bacovsky made 12 saves as the Thunderbirds outshot the Spartans 13-5 to take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission.
Schuurman added two goals early in the third period to extend the UBC lead. He scored his second of the afternoon just 19 seconds into the frame, with Williams recording the assist, before completing his hat trick at 2:31 off assists from Williams and Gabriel Guilbault.
Shearon broke Gee's shutout bid at 15:34 of the third period, scoring shorthanded off assists from Knutson and Serrao to make it 4-1. Bacovsky made another 13 saves in the final period, with UBC holding a 15-6 advantage in shots.
NOTABLE
- UBC outshot TWU 43-21.
- The Spartans finished 0-for-4 on the power play, while the Thunderbirds went 1-for-7.
- Shearon's goal was his first of the Canada West season.
- Schuurman finished with a game-high nine shots and now has six goals this season.
- Friday night, the Spartans fell 6-5 in overtime to the Thunderbirds at the ARENAS at the Langley Events Centre.
- TWU sits fifth in the Canada West West Division with one point, while UBC leads the division with six points.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes 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 15 U SPORTS team championships and 35 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.
-TW-
