WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Third-year forward
Mikhailo Simchuk (Kyiv, Ukraine) scored his 25th Canada West career goal, but the Trinity Western Spartans fell 3-2 to the Manitoba Bisons Saturday afternoon at Wayne Fleming Arena. The loss drops TWU to 0-7-1 in Canada West play, while Manitoba improves to 6-2.
Third-year forward
Connor Farren (Cloverdale, B.C.) scored on the power play with 31 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to one.
Second-year goaltender
Steven Bacovsky (Calgary) made 34 saves. Dawson Pasternak scored twice on the power play for Manitoba, and Skyler Bruce added the winning goal and an assist. Matthew Kieper stopped 30 shots for the Bisons.
UP NEXT
The Spartans visit the Saskatchewan Huskies Friday, November 6, and Saturday, November 7, at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon. Puck drop is 7 p.m. CST (5 p.m. PST) Friday and 5 p.m. CST (3 p.m. PST) Saturday. Both games will be streamed live on Canada West TV.
AS IT HAPPENED
Simchuk opened the scoring at 11:04 of the first period, with assists from second-year forward
Danylo Korzhyletskyi (Kyiv, Ukraine) and second-year defenceman
Adam Leitch (Maple Ridge, B.C.). Manitoba answered with two power-play goals from Pasternak in a span of 2:10. He tied the game at 13:12, assisted by Tanner Willick and Lucas Brennan, before putting the Bisons ahead at 15:22 with Bruce and Brennan earning the assists.
Manitoba carried its 2-1 lead into the first intermission after outshooting TWU 14-9. Neither team scored in the second period, with Bacovsky and Kieper each making eight saves to keep it a one-goal game heading into the third.
Bruce extended Manitoba's lead to 3-1 at 13:24 of the third period, with Evan Toth drawing the assist. Farren's power-play goal at 19:29 gave TWU a late chance to draw level. Second-year forward
Aiden Knutson (Red Deer, Alta.) and first-year forward
Carter Schmidt (Kelowna, B.C.) assisted, but the Bisons held on to complete the weekend sweep. Both teams recorded 15 shots in the final period.
NOTABLE
- TWU is now 5-11 all-time against Manitoba, with all 16 meetings coming in Canada West regular-season play. The Spartans are 4-4 in Winnipeg. Manitoba has won five straight meetings between the teams.
- Simchuk is the first Spartan to reach 25 Canada West regular-season career goals, extending his program record. His seventh goal of the season also brings his career point total to 46, third in TWU's Canada West record book.
- Knutson now has seven assists and nine points in eight games this season, extending his personal Canada West season high for assists. He recorded two assists and 10 points in 28 games last season.
- Farren's goal was his second of the season and 13th Canada West career goal, keeping him ninth on TWU's career goals list. Schmidt led the Spartans with five shots.
- Manitoba outshot TWU 37-32 and went 2-for-4 on the power play. The Spartans finished 1-for-6. The Bisons won Friday's opener 4-1; the teams meet again in Langley January 8-9.
ABOUT SPARTAN ATHLETICS
Trinity Western's Spartans compete in 13 Canada West sports as members of U SPORTS: women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track and field, plus women's rugby sevens. The university also fields independent teams in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since joining U SPORTS in 1999, TWU has earned 15 national team titles and 35 Canada West team championships. Visit GoSpartans.ca for news, schedules and results.
ABOUT TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY
Trinity Western University offers undergraduate, graduate and adult degree-completion programs through a Christ-centred approach to whole-person education. TWU prepares graduates to lead with character and competence and contribute positively to their communities. The university has received seven consecutive A+ ratings for teaching and learning quality and holds three Canada Research Chairs. Learn more at TWU.ca.
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