Last hits 100-point milestone as Spartans skate to home ice win over SFU

A three goal first period propelled Trinity Western University to a 3-2 win over the visiting Simon Fraser University Clan on Thursday at the Langley Events Centre.

The Spartans picked up their fourth consecutive victory to open the season, improving to 4-0-0-0 on the year. The loss drops the Clan to a 2-1-0-1 record.

“That first period was probably one of the best 20 minutes we’ve ever had, in our skating and moving the puck, so we had a ton of confidence coming into the second period," says Spartans Head Coach Barret Kropf.

"After we didn’t capitalize on the powerplay early in the second I think SFU gained some energy. Full credit to them, they kept pressing and skating well, forcing Lucas to make timely saves. I said in the preseason that they have the best depth in the league in terms of pedigree and I think they showed that tonight."

Evan Last scored two goals for TWU, with Hayden Guilderson also picking up a goal in the win. Last’s first goal of the first period was his 100th career point in the BCIHL, as he finished the night tied with former Spartan Cody Fidgett for 13th all time in league history (101).

TWU opened the scoring just 1:47 into the game as Guilderson scored off a rebound in close for his second goal of the year. The Spartans then added to their lead with 7:06 to go in the first period, as Last fired a wrist shot over the glove of Zubick to stretch TWU’s lead to 2-0. Last then picked up his second of the game late in the first period, scoring on an odd man rush and after a pass from teammate Logan Casavant.

Into the second period the Clan chipped away at the lead when rookie Trevor Ayre scored his first goal of the season to make it 3-1 with 1:12 left. SFU then added to their score midway through the third period when captain Mac Colasimone beat Mills five-hole on a breakaway to cut the Spartans lead to one.

That would be it however, as the Spartans hung on for the win in the final game of their four game homestand. Lucas Mills made 31 saves to pick up his third win of the season, while Patrick Zubick turned aside 27 shots in the losing cause.

"It’s another one of those games where we learned a few things, what some players are capable of and aren’t," says Kropf. "It’s still early in the season, that’s just our fourth game so we’re still figuring out what some guys are able to do. I was saying to the guys there were definitely moments where we would maybe bend on defence but never break. We’ll watch film and figure out what we need to work on, but when it came down to it, we were laying down the body and blocking shots to seal the win.”

TWU held a 4-2-0-0 record against the Clan in last year’s regular season, and sweeping them 2-0 in the BCIHL semifinals.

TWU matched their second best start to a season going 4-0-0-0 to begin the year (2014-15). Their best start came last season as they opened the season 6-0-0-0.

The Spartans have a rematch against SFU next Saturday when they head to Burnaby to take on the Clan at Bill Copeland Arena.