Zandhuisen lifts Eagles to OT win over TWU in penalty-filled affair at LEC

Eastern Washington University’s Tyler Zandhuisen scored the overtime winner as the Eagles knocked off Trinity Western University by a 3-2 score on Saturday at the Langley Events Centre.

Zandhuisen jumped on a loose puck in his own zone and had a clear cut breakaway from EWU’s blueline before beating TWU goalie Lucas Mills to the glove side. Mills, who finished with 26 saves, got a piece of a fluttering shot but it wasn’t enough to stop EWU (2-15-0-1) from earning just its second win of the year.

The loss is the third in a row for TWU, who falls to 11-5-0-2 on the season.

TWU’s Jarrett Fontaine tied the game midway through the third period to force overtime. Paxton Bell and Tanner Hawes scored for EWU while Brett Wur tallied the other Spartans goal.

Austin Brihn made 28 saves to earn the win for the Eagles.

In what was a penalty-filled affair that saw the teams combine for 157 penalty minutes, including eight misconducts, and a combined 25 power plays, the teams scored only one goal each with the man-advantage. EWU was 1 for 14 and TWU was 1 for 11.

Wur opened the scoring at 9:53 of the first period when he got to a rebound from in tight and managed to get it across the goal line on the power play. The referees discussed the play for a moment before ruling it to be a good goal.

Bell responded 1:18 later when he evened the score with a quick shot that beat Mills. Midway through the second period, Hawes put EWU up 2-1 and it stayed that way until Fontaine equalised with 12:37 left in the third period.

TWU is back on the ice Feb. 10 when the Spartans host Selkirk.

Game Notes: TWU has now lost four of its last fives games…the Spartans have scored just nine goals in their last six games…the loss was Mills first as a Spartan after earning wins in the first three starts of his career.