TWU Titans close out season with fourth-place finish at BCIHL Championships

The Trinity Western University Titans moved up one spot at the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League Championships, finishing fourth overall in the league this year after a fifth-place finish in the regular season.

On Friday, the Titans managed to oust University of the Fraser Valley by a 4-3 score in the first elimination game of the tournament. After securing fourth position they went head-to-head with Okanagan College and showed grit and determination losing 4-3 in a shootout.

The Titans fell behind early in the first period but tied it up with a goal by Brenden Elenko. The second period looked bleak for the Titans with Okanagan scoring twice for a 3-1 lead entering the third period. But with seven minutes left, the TWU comeback began when Tyler Vandergaag beat Crusaders netminder Adam Butler. Trevor Beaupre then evened up the score and forced five minutes of overtime and then a shootout.

But after Dave Mann opened with a goal, Titan shooters Josh Stephenson, Matt Chaput and Trevor Beaupre were unable to get one past Butler.

Okanagan College then went on to the semi final game where they lost in a shootout to favoured Simon Fraser University.

The Trinity Western Titans finished with a season record of 10-12-2. Next year they look forward to improving their record and hopefully compete under the new banner of the Trinity Western Spartans.

“I'm so proud of every man on the team," says Titans head coach Dwayne Lowdermilk. "They gave me all they had and not a drop was left in their tank - how can one ask for more than that?"