Spartans fall on home ice Okanagan College stages comeback

Struggles in the second period overshadowed a solid first and third period as the Trinity Western University Spartans men’s hockey team dropped their second game to the Okanagan College Coyotes 4-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C.

The loss drops the Spartans to 1-2-0 in league play and 2-3 overall, while the win moves the Coyote’s to 3-1-0.

“We tried some things that you can do early in the season and guys could gain some respect for themselves. We got lots of chances, 4-1 was not the score as far as the chances we just didn’t have the finish,” commented Spartans head coach Dwayne Lowdermilk.

“The guys who are our real scorers are fighting the puck a little, trying to take the extra step and make sure that they are in position rather than just putting it on net and then picking up the rebound. We will take the junk in that regard… On our breakaways we're trying to make the fancy moves rather than shooting the puck.”

The Spartans generated a number of opportunities, including two breakaways and a two on none, but were unable to find the back of the net throughout the game as they dropped their third straight contest.

The Spartans opened the game with the only goal of the first period off of the stick of Tanner Redekop. Redekop who was all by himself between the circles beat the Coyote’s Adam Butler glove side to put TWU up 1-0 at the 9:29 mark of the first period. TWU finished the period outshooting Okanagan 11-6.

But after the first intermission Okanagan was a completely different team. The Coyotes came out much more determined and in the sixth minute of the second period things went sideways for TWU as Okanagan exploded for three straight goals while outshooting Trinity Western 26-7. The Coyote’s got goals from Dekker Mende at 5:40, Aaron Buat on the power play at 13:20 and Brock Munro at 18:01 to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.

In the third period TWU was able to match Okanagan’s intensity as the Spartans outshot the Coyote’s 13-10, but were unable to get one past Butler in the final 20 minutes. Okanagan’s Aaron Buat sealed the game for the visitors with a power play goal at 11:50. The goal was more deflating for the Spartans as they had just finished a power play with a two man advantage, which coach Lowdermilk expanded to three men when he pulled JP Chapman for a minute of the power play.

“We lost two players right off the bat with injuries," says Lowdermilk. "They are an aggressive team and when they come here they come to play. We went into situations and our guys relaxed and they finished their checks and we came out on the short end with a separated shoulder and a banged up hip. But now we have 12 days to relax and get ready for the next game.”

TWU’s Jean-Paul Chapman made 38 saves in the loss, while Okanagan’s Adam Butler made 31 saves in the win.

"JP saved two or three shots and the fourth gets popped in, but when you are only playing with four defensemen it gets tough,” Lowdermilk explained.

The three stars for tonight’s game went to:

1st star: Aaron Buat – Okanagan College
2nd star: Brock Munro – Okanagan College
3rd star: Brendan Stephen – Trinity Western

Next up for the Spartans is Simon Fraser University on Oct. 22. Game time at the LEC is set for 7 p.m.

Game Notes: Last week in Kelowna, B.C. the Spartans fell 3-2 to the Coyotes…the Spartans also had injuries to their blue-liners early in the game which limited their options as the game progressed.