Matthew Vela provided the winning stroke that put the Trinity Western University Spartans into the B.C. intercollegiate hockey final.
The first-year TWU forward scored at 7:15 of overtime in a 5-4 victory over second-place Simon Fraser last week.
Vela, a Burnaby native, was a standout in the club’s sweep of the Burnaby Mountain rival, said TWU coach Barret Kropf.
“Vela getting the overtime goal (Saturday) was indicative of his play both (days),” said Kropf. “It’s good to get a team win when everyone is doing the things that they need to be doing.”
Both teams ramped up the offence in the semifinal, with TWU netminder Silas Matthys turning aside 39 shots while New Westminster native Jordan Liem blocked 40 shots in the SFU net.
It was a win of the come-back variety for the Spartans, who erased a two-goal deficit and got the tying goal at with 1:29 remaining from Jamie Russell, on an assist from Burnaby’s Jacob Mills.
Russell would later be awarded the league’s Player of the Week award.
Trinity Western kicked off the best-of-three series by doubling up on the Clan, 6-3 in Burnaby last Friday. Mattias Schmitt’s shorthanded marker with five minutes left in the second period proved to be the winner. Mills also tallied in the game. Matthys was in fine form, kicking out 33 shots.
The Spartans now face Selkirk College in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League final this weekend.
