Spartans fall short at EWU, still searching for first regular season win

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Trinity Western University remained winless on the season Saturday night as they fell 7-1 to Eastern Washington at the EWU Recreation Complex.

Despite outshooting the Eagles 45-41, the Spartans lost their fourth game in a row to start the year and are now 0-4-0 on the season.

Eagles goalie Cash Ulrich made 44-saves to lead EWU to the win while Bobby Ward and Elliott Martin each added a goal and two assists and Ryan Pajimola had three assists for the home side.

Spartans goalie Tim Zwiers (Williams Lake, B.C.) started the game but was pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on 19 shots. Harry Fredeman (Ladner, B.C.) played the rest of the game and gave up three goals on 22 shots.

The lone goal-scorer for TWU was Jake Harcoff (Surrey, B.C.) while Jamie Russell (Surrey) and Josh Stephenson (Aldergrove, B.C.) registered assists.

The Eagles are now 2-0-0-1 with both of their wins coming against TWU. Eastern Washington also beat the Spartans 3-0 on opening night.

The Eagles opened the scoring Saturday at 11:39 of the first period when Kjell Sherman ripped a slap shot from the top of the left circle that was beyond the reach of Spartans goalie Zwiers. A few minutes later, EWU’s JR Straight scored on the power play to give the home side a 2-0 advantage and, from there, the route was on.

In the second period, EWU continued to fill the net as the Eagles notched four goals – from AJ Sanders, Nick Redding, Martin and Ward – to put the game out of reach and head into the second intermission up 6-0.

The Spartans' Harcoff finally broke the Eagles shutout when his long shot weaved through traffic and beat EWU goalie Ulrich at 8:16 of the third frame. The Eagles Uriah Machuga put another one on the board late in the third to round the scoring.

Trinity Western is back on the ice on Saturday when they face Simon Fraser University at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre at 7 p.m.