Selkirk College inched within a point of the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League record for points in a season on Friday night, topping Thompson Rivers University on the road by a 6-4 score.
Missing a handful of top players, including league-leading scorers Jordan Wood and Logan Proulx, the Saints jumped out to a 4-1 lead but had to win the game late after TRU had come back to draw even with six minutes remaining.
Scott Swiston opened the scoring when he capitalized on a turnover low in the WolfPack slot and roofed a backhand shot over Shane Mainprize. TRU responded off the stick of Scott Bollefer but Connor McLaughlin restored the Selkirk lead minutes later when he redirected a Dylan Smith point shot.
The Saints scored twice in the early going of the second period on a pair of goals from Beau Taylor to go up 4-1, but a couple of defensive lapses proved costly as TRU scored shorthanded twice in 33 seconds to draw back within one.
Selkirk held the lead through most of the third period until Tyler Jackson redirected a Jarrett Martin pass for the equalizer. But, as they have many times this season, the Saints dug deep and scored the winner with 3:50 remaining in regulation as Jackson Garrett deflected home a Lucas Hildebrand point shot. Taylor then completed the hat trick with six seconds remaining to cap the scoring.
"We knew that it was going to take a full team effort to pick up the win tonight with some key guys missing, and that's what we got," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "Beau came through with a big game and our D did a great job of getting pucks to the net for three tip-in goals."
Alex Sirard picked up his 12th win of the season, stopping 29 shots.
The Saints now travel to Burnaby for their final regular season match-up against SFU. Faceoff is set for 7:00 PM from the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
VICTORIA
SIMON FRASER
OKANAGAN
LOGAN LAKE
VANCOUVER ISLAN.
