Special teams were the story Saturday as the Simon Fraser University men’s hockey team downed the Trinity Western Spartans 6-3 at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
After going two-for-15 with the man advantage in the two previous games, the SFU power play exploded for four extra-man goals.
“It was just confidence and moving the puck well,” said SFU head coach Mark Coletta. “We’ve got a good bunch of guys that can really play the game, they’re skillful. I think sometimes [they] think too much.”
Daniell Lange had two of those four goals. He opened the scoring with 17.5 seconds left in the first period, converting a rebound.
Trinity Western answered with two straight goals to start the second period, including Dirk De Waal’s first of two shorthanded tallies. However, Lange tied the game on the same power play just 16 seconds later.
Jaret Babych gave SFU a 2-1 lead midway through the period, converting from a scrum around the net. Mathew Berry-Lamontagna and Graham Smerek shored up the lead with gritty tallies in the middle frame.
The two teams traded markers in the third. Spencer Unger scored on a 2-on-1, receiving a perfectly timed pass from Nick Coltura, just two seconds after the penalty kill ended. De Waal countered with his second shorthanded goal for the Spartans, but that would be it.
“We didn’t back down. It was a good character win for our guys,” said Coletta. “With injuries and a depleted lineup, everybody stepped up.”
Lyndon Stanwood made 19 saves for the win.
With his two goals, Lange takes over as the team’s top goal scorer with 10, tied for second in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League.
With the victory, SFU improved to 12-3-0-2, three points better than the Spartans in the league standings.
SFU’s next game is Feb. 2, when they visit Langley to face Trinity Western.
