The Simon Fraser University men’s hockey team took a big step towards their goal of capturing the 2014 BC Intercollegiate Hockey League Championship. Over the weekend of Jan. 24, the Clan beat the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack twice in order to clinch a playoff spot.
A key storyline heading into the back-to-back games at Kamloops was the goaltending situation for each team. Clan netminder Andrew Parent made his fourth and fifth straight starts as SFU’s new number one after Graham Gordon abruptly left the team. TRU was also making a reluctant switch in net as Chris Solecki took over for previous starter Stephen Wolff, who was suspended for the remainder of the season for academic issues.
Despite the clouds hanging over the Clan’s crease, SFU was able to win both games due in large part to their forecheck and dominating cycle down low in TRU’s zone.
The first game showed the Wolfpack what they were in store for as SFU created multiple chances off of their relentless pressure. TRU scored first, however, on a tip in goal on a powerplay giving them their only lead over the course of the two games.
SFU answered TRU’s opening marker with two goals of their own. Clan defenceman Colton Schock wired home a victorious faceoff to get the visitors on the board, and Graham Smerek found some open space in front of the net and fired home a great feed that came off of a relentless Clan cycle down low.
Simon Fraser kept applying pressure in the second period, but to no avail. The lone goal of the frame belonged to the Wolfpack’s Anthony Delong, which evened the contest at two goals apiece.
As the third period got under way, the lack of goals, despite throwing a heavy quantity of rubber at Solecki’s net, did not discourage the Clan. Jono Ceci scored the eventual game winning goal just 1:32 into the final frame as a result of another dominant cycle.
Just 3:08 after Ceci’s marker, BCIHL player of the week Jared Eng rushed the puck end to end, cycled the puck around TRU’s defensive zone, and found Trevor Milner, who fired home the Clan’s fourth and final goal of the night, giving SFU a 4–2 victory.
The final game of the weekend series didn’t feature a whole lot of goals, but did offer quite a few penalties, making special teams the deciding factor.
SFU went one-for-four on their power play, while TRU was blanked on three attempts. Newly acquired defenceman Scott Brkich scored SFU’s game winner on a second period power play, giving SFU the eventual 1–0 victory.
TRU’s Solecki was awarded first start in each game and rightfully so, as SFU fired 86 shots towards the TRU netminder over the two games, while his Wolfpack teammates could only muster 46.
Solecki’s heroics do not diminish the dominating effort put forth by the Clan, especially in their forecheck and suffocating cycle.
SFU will look to keep the momentum going as they face Trinity Western University for a home and home series next weekend. The two games give SFU ample opportunity to further
distance themselves atop the BCIHL standings.
