The SFU men’s hockey team took to the road over the Nov. 15 weekend for back-to-back games against the Eastern Washington University Eagles and Selkirk Saints. The latter was a marquee matchup between two of the BCIHL’s best teams, but SFU could not afford to look past the Eagles. And they didn’t: SFU dismantled EWU 7–1, but showed fatigue against Selkirk, falling 9–5.
The first period of the Eagles’ game was quite even. SFU got on the board first with an Aaron Enns tally, but EWU responded just over a minute later when Uriah Machuga evened things up.
Then SFU opened the floodgates in the second period. After Nick Sandor gave his team the lead 2:38 into the frame, SFU potted four more goals in just over four minutes, ending opposing goaltender Jason Greenwell’s night prematurely. This game was essentially over after 40 minutes, but Taylor Piller added a late powerplay goal in the third for good measure.
The story was quite different when the Clan hit the ice against the Saints. Selkirk came out flying, controlling the boards and winning battles for the puck all night.
Saints Cody Fidgett and Beau Taylor gave Selkirk and early two-goal lead off of two quick shots that found their way past Clan netminder Andrew Parent. Taylor Piller’s goal would keep SFU within striking distance before Fidgett restored the Saints two-goal lead as he cashed in off of a SFU turnover at their own blue line.
Graham Smerek then muscled home SFU’s second goal, and Jono Ceci displayed all sorts of patience in finding the trailing Nick Sandor on an odd-man rush to tie the game at three. Sandor’s goal would result in SFU chasing their second goalie in as many nights, as backup Chris Hurry replaced James Prigione.
Unfortunately for SFU, Saints’ head coach Jeff Dubois’ move of pulling his netminder seemed to spark the home side. The second period highlighted Selkirk’s speed and determination, as they out-muscled and out-skated the Clan for three goals in the period to gain a commanding 6–3 lead. SFU could not muster much offense as they had difficulty navigating through the neutral zone, and were forced to dump the puck in and chase it around.
In the third, Cody Fidgett registered his fifth point of the night in style, skating end to end and right around the Clan’s defense, eventually finding a wide open Thomas Hardy in front for the easy tap in. Each team would add two more goals in the frame, but SFU had their great early season start halted by a 9–5 loss, their first of the season.
Graeme Gordon is the unquestioned number one goalie for the Clan, and forward Trevor Milner had been a fixture on the top line much of the season, so it was curious to see both out of the lineup for the Saints game. SFU boasts a deep squad so, regardless of personnel, surrendering nine goals will not sit well with the Burnaby side.
The Clan is back in action next weekend with a home-and-home against the surprising Trinity Western Spartans. TWU sits above SFU in the standings with two more points, but the Spartans having played four more games, so next week’s contests could go a long way in determining SFU’s spot in the standings.
