UBC earns playoff berth with come-from-behind win

Wilson Wong (UBC Thunderbirds)

VANCOUVER – Nick Buonassisi (Coquitlam, B.C.) scored exactly halfway through the third period to give his UBC Thunderbirds a 3-2 victory over the Manitoba Bisons, and the last berth to the Canada West men's hockey playoffs.

Adam Rossignol (Surrey, B.C.) won a puck battle at the boards in his own zone and passed it to Jessi Hilton (Sherwood Park, Alta.). He then found a streaking Buonassisi, who carried the puck across the blueline and then cut inside past Manitoba defenceman Channing Bresciani before sliding the puck under a sprawling Byron Spriggs in the Bisons' net.

UBC entered the weekend three points ahead of the Lethbridge Pronghorns for the final post-season spot in the Canada West. The T-Birds got the two points they needed by coming from behind twice to earn the victory at Father Bauer Arena on Friday night.

Friday's result also moved UBC (11-12-4) into a tie with Manitoba (12-13-2) in fifth place in the conference standings, as both teams have 26 points on the season.

Austin Vetterl (Surrey, B.C.) and Hilton also scored for UBC, while Liam Bilton and Justin Augert found the net for Manitoba.

Eric Williams (Langley, B.C.) stopped 26 of 28 shots he saw in the Thunderbirds' net. His counterpart Spriggs turned made 32 saves in a losing cause.

UBC head coach Adam Shell felt exhilaration and relief after the hard-fought victory.

"We were physical, we initiated and we played in straight lines for the most part," he said. "I'd still like to see us finish a little bit more but we were creating chances so exhilarated in the sense that if that's the team that's going to show up now, then we'll be ready for the playoffs. Relief, obviously, because the game was getting tighter and tighter."

Manitoba opened the scoring early, just 1:39 into the game on a fantastic goal. Bison forward Shaq Merasty won the puck behind the net to Williams' right and pushed a pass towards Bilton, who was wide open as he cut across the slot away from the goal. Bilton reached back between his legs and snapped a quick shot past Williams to put the Bisons ahead 1-0.

The host Thunderbirds replied at 4:17 of the second period on the power play with a beautiful goal of their own.

At the left point, Luke Lockhart (Burnaby, B.C.) passed the puck down to Anthony Bardaro (Delta, B.C.) at the left side of the goal line. Bardaro quickly made a spinning backhand pass across the crease to Vetterl, who fired a wrist shot over the glove of Spriggs to tie the game 1-1.

But less than two minutes later, the Bisons retook the lead. From the right faceoff circle, Jordyn Boyd directed a shot towards Williams. The rolling puck bounced off the goalie, giving Augert an opportunity to knock in the rebound to make the score 2-1 in favour of the visitors.

Just before the period ended, senior forward Hilton leveled the score at two goals apiece.

Joel Hamilton (Cochrane, Alta.) fired a point shot wide left of the Manitoba net but Buonassisi played the bounce off the boards perfectly and chipped a backhanded pass towards Hilton cutting to the net. The forward, playing in his penultimate home game in a UBC uniform, shot the puck over the glove of Spriggs.

Hilton and Buonassisi each finished the night with a goal and an assist.

Manitoba went scoreless on seven power-play opportunities, including four in the second period, while UBC was successful on one of its four power plays.

The final Canada West playoff positioning will be finalized at the conclusion of Saturday's rematch at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, which will commence at 7 p.m. PT.

IMAGE CREDIT: Bob Frid/UBC Thunderbirds