SFU men’s hockey team wins big in home opener

On Friday night, the SFU men’s hockey team gave a dominant performance, with a 6-2 victory over the Selkirk College Saints (SC). A crowd of close to 1,500 — the biggest since 2011 — packed into the Bill Copeland Sports Center to watch the season’s home opener. The fans were rewarded with an exciting game.

The game started off with both teams exchanging chances, with an excellent cross crease chance from the Saints foiled by goalie Andrew Parent, and SFU’s Tyler Basham stopped on the partial break.
SFU got on the board first with a power play goal by Jesse Mysiorek that fortunately banked off his skate and into the net.

The Clan were not done yet, as they scored a second goal just before time expired in the first. The point shot came off the backboards and went right in front of the net, where forward Trent Murdoch was there to bury it top glove.

The second period began with a sprawling glove save 1:30 in by Parent.

This seemed to spark the Clan, and a few minutes later defenceman Jesse Williamson put the puck in the back of the net for a 3-0 lead, with a deadly slap shot off a Selkirk shot block right under the crossbar. Parent then stopped another breakaway, making it look effortless; this was indicative of the confidence that the entire team played with all night.

The fourth goal of the night was scored on a bad giveaway behind the Selkirk net which led to SFU forward Taylor Piller quickly passing the puck up front, where Jono Ceci easily scored — it was a milestone moment for the forward from North Vancouver, as with that goal he became the program’s all-time leading scorer, with a total of 129 points.

Tyler Basham scored from the high slot on the power play to make it 5-0. Selkrik answered to make it 5-1 before the end. Despite scoring three goals, SFU was badly outshot in the period, getting only five shots on goal while Selkirk managed 14.

In the third period, Selkirk switched their goalie, putting in James Prigione.

Once more Parent had to make a big save at the beginning of the period: another great glove save off a two on one.

The Selkirk Saints got a goal eight seconds into a power play to make it 5-2.

Forward Nick Sandor scored to restore the four goal lead, courtesy of a great pass across the crease from Taylor Piller. Piller, Sandor, and Ceci formed the top line for the Clan, and looked dominant throughout the entire night.

The highlight of the rest of the game was an incredible windmill glove save by Parent, much to the crowd’s delight.

Despite winning by a comfortable margin, SFU should not be complacent. They were outshot 40 to 23, and gave up multiple odd man rushes and breakaways. If not for Parent, this could have been a much closer game. Luckily for SFU fans, Clan offence seems to be clicking into high gear. If they clean up the defensive lapses, the men’s hockey team could be a force to be reckoned with.