Despite outshooting the University of Victoria by a 48-28 margin, Trinity Western University fell 6-1 in the Spartans final game of the regular season Friday at the George Preston Recreation Centre.
In a game that didn’t mean anything for either side in the BCIHL standings, the Vikes scored two goals in each period to skate away with a five-goal win.
The Spartans finish the regular season at 13-9-0-2 and third in the BCIHL. The Vikes (10-12-0-2), who were already assured of a fourth place finish prior to the weekend, will wrap up their regular season Saturday when they play Simon Fraser.
“There was no intensity tonight,” said Spartans coach Barret Kropf. “Even from their side, there wasn’t much intensity. It felt like shinny out there and I think their goalie is going to have to get ice on his belly button because that’s the only place where we shot the puck. We had 48 shots, but everything was directed right at him.
“I put zero stock in the outcome of this game. You could just tell some of our guys just weren’t playing as hard as they could.”
TWU will now prepare for its BCIHL semifinal best-of-three series with Simon Fraser, which opens Mar. 11 with Game 1 in Burnaby, B.C. Game 2 of the series will be back at the George Preston Recreation Centre Mar. 12 at 7:30 p.m. If Game 3 is necessary, SFU will host the Spartans Mar. 13 at 7 p.m.
“We have a great opportunity in the week ahead,” Kropf said. “We’ll go to Simon Fraser and play the underdog role and see if we can work some magic and go from there. We’ll get some guys back for the playoffs, which will be key. I think we have lots to build on and we’re looking forward to the next 16 days.”
The Spartans' Florian Neidermaier scored the lone goal for TWU.
Victoria had five different goal scorers, with Bo Sigurdson scoring two and Cameron Rowat, Shawn Mueller, Linden Horswill and Aaron Enns tallying singles. The Vikes' Carsen Willans had four assists.
Victoria goalie Zack Wear made 47 saves for the win while TWU’s Aaron Oakley stopped 22 of the 28 shots he faced.
The Spartans were held off the scoreboard on six power play opportunities while Victoria was one for three with the man-advantage.
Game Notes: TWU’s Jamie Russell capped his university career by playing in his 96th straight regular season game…Russell didn’t miss a single regular season game in his four-year career…TWU blueliner Blair Murphy (Surrey) had 32 penalty minutes in the game and finishes her career as the BCHIL’s all-time leader in penalty minutes, with 275.
VICTORIA
SIMON FRASER
VANCOUVER ISLAN.
LOGAN LAKE
OKANAGAN
