Simon Fraser University finished out its B.C. Intercollegiate hockey regular season with a 5-1 victory over the University of Victoria on Saturday.
"We're never satisfied, but we are happy and conscious of where we are going into the playoffs," said SFU head coach Mark Coletta.
The Clan club team broke open a tight 1-1 contest with four unanswered goals in the final period, including a shorthanded marker by Joey Pavone late in the game, to finish the season with a first-place 17-2-5 record.
Tony Oak opened the scoring for the Clan in the first minute of play, but UVic hung tough for the remainder of the period and evened the score midway through the middle period.
Scoring leader Ben Van Lare got the game-winner from first star Bill Smith on the power play with his team-high 28th goal of the year five minutes into the final frame.
Smith also helped out on Taylor Piller's insurance goal less than three minutes later. Jono Ceci tallied his 23rd counter of the season late in the game.
Graeme Gordon recorded the win for the Clan, coming away with the game's second star following 32 saves in the SFU net.
This season, Okanagan College has emerged as arguably the Clan's toughest competitor.
The Kelowna college finished the regular season off with a 1-1-1 record against SFU in its last three league games.
But before the Burnaby club team can lay claim to a rematch, it will have to get through an unforgiving opening game at the weekend provincials.
"We can't overlook that Thursday night game," said Coletta. "The toughest thing for the new (junior) grads is best-of-seven, best-of-seven. There is no best-of-seven. You win or you lose and you're going home. The challenge is getting them used to that kind of atmosphere."
The B.C. Intercollegiate provincial playoffs get underway at Kamloops Memorial Arena from March 14 to 18.
SFU plays its first game on March 15 against the winner of either UVic and Eastern Washington University.
The winner of that first-round matchup would meet the winner of Okanagan and Thompson Rivers University.
Coletta said SFU is solid in goal and in its special teams, "So it's all about energy."
As for the small ice surface in Kamloops, Coletta does not believe that will slow down the Clan.
"It's a misnomer," Coletta said. "If we're just as fast, it makes sense we'll get to the net quicker."
The championship final will be played Sunday.
