CALGARY – Just 13 seconds into overtime, UBC Thunderbirds forward Tyler Ruel got the best of Dinos goaltender Jeff Weber to keep his team in the playoff hunt with a 4-3 win over the Calgary Dinos.
BOX SCORE
The win was a massive one for the T-Birds, as they now control their destiny in the rematch tomorrow night in Calgary. With a win, the Birds can clinch the last playoff spot in Canada West, forcing the Dinos to sit out of the postseason for the first time in 25 years.
That being said, by virtue of the Dinos' loss in the extra frame, they received a very valuable point in the standings. The Dinos still own the ultimate tiebreaker with the Birds, and any type of win for the Calgary club will get them to the playoffs. While the points would be even in the standings with a win on Saturday, Calgary's 11 total wins would be enough to send them through.
UBC got the offensive effort they needed from their club on Friday, with their leading scorer Darrel May scoring two goals to go along with a helper on the overtime winner. May, along with Ruel, contributed three shots on goal while defenseman Theran Yeo put four shots on Weber in a gritty effort for the Birds. UBC got their other goal from fourth year forward Matt Allen in the second period.
In total, the T-Birds got a 30 shot effort from their offense, which was able to outgun the Dinos for the majority of the night. The Dinos managed only 19 shots without three of their top forwards lost to the Universiade Games in Harbin China.
The Dinos still put forth a nice effort without their top offensive threats, as Brock Nixon and Kyle Annesley continued their late season scoring push, each notching two points in the loss.
Nixon did his part in attempting to save the day for the Dinos midway through the second, as Calgary faced a 3-1 deficit. On a Dinos two-man advantage, Nixon redirected a point shot that completely handcuffed UBC goaltender Francois Thuot, which temporarily turned the momentum in favour of the Dinos.
Calgary managed to tie the game up late in the second when Logan Gorsalitz' persistence paid off in front of the net, scoring the goal on a second effort amidst a crowded crease. This, though, was as close as the Dinos would get.
After a third period in which both teams seemed to be playing not to lose, the Birds came out flying in overtime with the comfort of one point already guaranteed. Ruel took no time at all in ending the contest, putting back a rebound to ice the game 13 seconds in.
Thuot stopped 16 shots in the victory, while Weber is hit with the overtime loss in a 26 save effort.
Both teams return Saturday night for the huge rematch which has turned out to be the biggest game of the year for both clubs. The must-win tilt goes at 7 p.m. at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary.
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