After last week’s home opener got cancelled, Simon Fraser hosted the University of Victoria (UVIC) in home opener number two on Saturday night at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. After a referee scheduling mishap last week, the referees were very present at this game, handing out a total of 32 penalties throughout the game.
The game did not get off to an ideal start for the Clan, as Brendan Lamont picked up a tripping penalty not even a minute into the first period. After killing off the penalty, SFU got a 5–3 powerplay of their own but were unable to capitalize, with Tyler Basham’s shot off the crossbar being the closest chance. UVIC made them pay soon after, as Liam Shaw opened the scoring seconds into a penalty from SFU’s Jaret Babych at 9:36. The period would end 1–0, with multiple penalties assessed to both sides, including one 10-minute misconduct to a player on each team.
The second period started similarly to the first, with Simon Fraser being accessed a penalty not even a minute into the frame. UVIC would later score on another powerplay at 17:53, as a lucky bounce landed right onto Brandon Volpe’s stick in front of the net.
The Vikes would score on the powerplay again at 9:27 to make the score 3–0 after captain Brandon Tidy picked up a questionable slashing penalty. After the goal, Tidy showed his displeasure with the referees and picked up a 10-minute misconduct as a result. The Clan would answer at 4:02 with a powerplay goal of their own from assistant captain Mathew Berry-Lamontagna. His slap shot from the right side went into the top corner of the net, right over the UVIC goalkeeper’s blocker. The goal was assisted by Jaret Babych and Darnel St. Pierre. The teams would head into the third period with a score of 3–1 in favour of the visitors.
After the game, head coach Mark Coletta had this to say: “The first two periods, it was tough to get a flow going five-on-five. I think we play our best hockey five-on-five, especially on our ice surface. We just didn’t get into that flow.”
“Credit to UVIC, they played a perfect road game after last night’s performance. They got the bounces and capitalized on everything they got.”
In the third period, UVIC put the game out of reach, adding a goal with 5:16 to play and again with 4:06 left in the game. Unlike the first three goals, however, both goals came at even strength. They would go on to win the game 5–1, one night after losing 11–1 to Trinity Western the night before.
“[It was a] tough game to get a grasp of [due to the penalties] . . . I’ve been in this league for a while, I haven’t seen that happen in a long time. Our guys are frustrated, their guys are frustrated,” said Coletta on the game.
On what the team can improve heading into the next one, Coletta said, “Emotion.”
SFU will next play Trinity Western at the Langley Events Centre on Thursday evening, before playing again on Friday against Eastern Washington University at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. Puck drop for both games is at 7 p.m.
