Over 1500 fans packed the Bill Copeland Sports Centre in Burnaby to watch Simon Fraser University capture the 2012 University Hockey Classic in dramatic fashion with a shootout victory over the UBC Thunderbirds.
The two-game, home-and-home series had to be settled with overtime and a shootout after UBC captured a 3-1 victory in regulation time. The Clan had won by an identical score the previous evening at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Overtime settled nothing, as the teams traded chances at four-on-four but couldn't beat SFU netminder Graeme Gordon or UBC counterpart Jordan White. Bill Smith opened the shootout with a goal for SFU, followed by two saves at either end before the T-Birds' Max Grassi forced an extra shootout round with a nifty goal on Gordon. But SFU's Jono Ceci beat White cleanly and UBC forward Michael Wilgosh shot over the net to give the Clan the inaugural University Hockey Classic title.
"This was a tremendous event that obviously captured a great deal of attention around the Lower Mainland," says SFU head coach Mark Coletta. "The fan support tonight and the media coverage over the last few days has been outstanding. Obviously there's an appetite for university hockey, especially with the UBC-SFU rivalry. Winning the event was a great end to a fun couple of days."
Gordon was named the game's first star after a tremendous 49-save effort that included a number of jaw-dropping stops. Chris Hoe scored the Clan's lone goal of regulation 14:34 into the first period, while Marc-Antoine Juneau at even strength and Scott Wasden and Michael Wilgosh on UBC power-plays replied for the T-Birds.
White faced 24 saves in picking up the win.
Kyle Leung, Kyle Boyko and Colton Graf had scored in SFU's win on Friday while Evan Kurylo made 40 saves to collect the victory.
OT and a shootout was an appropriate end for a series in which the teams ended tied 4-4 on goals scored, and the Clan should be pleased with allowing only one even strength goal to their CIS opposition in 125 minutes of play.
SFU resumes BCIHL league play next weekend when they travel to Castlegar to face Selkirk College.
VICTORIA
SIMON FRASER
OKANAGAN
LOGAN LAKE
VANCOUVER ISLAN.
