By: Celina Abad
The Simon Fraser University men’s hockey team found a few things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend. SFU got its first win of this year’s British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) campaign and scored a combined 10 goals over back-to-back games thanks to contributions from up and down the line-up.
In the first game, the Clan took on the Selkirk College Saints at the Castlegar Recreation Centre. SFU hit the ground running when forward Daniell Lange scored just over a minute into the game. Mathew Berry-Lamontagna notched SFU’s second goal with under three minutes left to play in the first, and rookie Eric Callegari put the Clan up 3–0 with his first career BCIHL goal.
The 3–0 lead, however, was not enough to hold off the Saints.
Derek McPhail, one of twelve Selkirk College rookies, got the comeback started early in the second period. It was the beginning of a dominant run that lasted the rest of the contest. The Saints went on to score five more unanswered goals to secure the victory, thanks in large part to their special teams. Selkirk College’s second goal came with the man advantage. The tying goal was scored when the teams were playing four a side. Meanwhile, SFU went zero for eight on the power play and seemed unable to generate momentum.
The Clan, however, was back on the ice the next day against the Eastern Washington Eagles.
Once again, SFU got a good start. They scored twice in the first period and took a 2–0 lead into the intermission. This time, however, their strong start extended into the second period. Forward Pavlo Zerebecky scored just four minutes into the frame. His goal was one of three Clan short-handed goals. Zerebecky also scored again in the third to pace SFU in the 7–3 win. It was the first multi-goal game of his career.
Goaltender Lyndon Stanwood had a tough opening game and, like most of the team, seemed eager to rebound against the Eagles. Stanwood made 29 saves on the night.
Darnel St. Pierre, Brandon Tidy, Mak Barden, and Lange also scored goals for the Clan while Berry-Lamontagna had another strong game.
Overall, twelve players hit the scoresheet for the Clan this weekend, highlighting their ability to score by committee. Should the trend continue, it should bode well for SFU, who are looking to improve on last year’s first round playoff exit.
SFU’s next game is on Saturday, October 14 at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. It will be the Clan’s home opener and their first game against expansion team Vancouver Island University Mariners. Tickets are free for SFU students with a valid student ID.
