Injury-ravaged Spartans fall to SFU to close out local weekend series

---

The Trinity Western University Spartans fell 8-3 in their second game of a home-and-home series with Simon Fraser University on Saturday night at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.

The Spartans, who had tied the No. 1 SFU squad 3-3 on Friday night, found their injury shortened bench and back-to-back games catch up with them as TWU dropped to 4-11-4, while SFU improved to a league best 15-1-5.

“The guys played hard tonight, we just ran out of gas,” commented TWU head coach Dwayne Lowdermilk.

Simon Fraser jumped out to a two goal first period lead on two goals in one minute and 13 seconds. The first was scored by Jono Ceci at 13:26 and then the unassisted follow-up by Joey Pavone at 12:13. SFU would finish the first period with the 2-0 lead.

SFU doubled the lead to 4-0 with goals by Barry Moscone at 16:28 and Ben Van Lare at 12:39 of the second period. The Spartans got their first goal at 7:58 of the second period on a power play marker by Josh Stephenson with the assists going to Brandon Long and Trevor Beaupre. SFU restored the four goal lead on a goal by Christopher Hoe at 1:40 of the second period.

The third period was a back and forth affair with SFU scoring three times, while the Spartans found the back of the net twice. Scoring for SFU was Jono Ceci with his second of the night at 17:12, Ben VanLare with his second of the night at 12:58 and Trent Murdoch at 1:10.

The Spartans Josh Stephenson scored his second of the night at 14:53, while Trevor Beaupre scored TWU’s final goal at 5:20.

Tim Zwiers and Kevin Currie divided the goaltending duties for TWU. Zwiers played 40 minutes and gave up five goals, while facing 33 shots. The Spartans Currie played 20 minutes and gave up three goals while facing 14 shots. Simon Fraser saw Andrew Parent play the full game and make 29 saves on 32 shots to record the win.

Next up for the Spartans is a road trip to the Okanagan to face the Okanagan College Coyotes on Friday, February 17 in Kelowna, B.C.

Game Notes: Simon Fraser outshot Trinity Western 47 to 32…The Spartans went one for two on the power play, while SFU went zero for three…The Spartans Brandon Long had two assists to give him 24 points on the season and eight points in the last four games, six goals and two assists.