WINNIPEG – Jake Lee's go-ahead goal in the second period served as the eventual game-winner on Friday night's game at 'The Flem, as the UBC Thunderbirds defeated the Manitoba Bisons 8-1 to improve to 8-1-0-0 while the Herd fell to 4-4-1-0.
 
The Thunderbirds began their offensive pressure from the first shift. The majority of the first period took place in the Bison's zone and while the Bisons didn't look out of place, the visitors were able to put pucks on net and cause offensive zone faceoffs from their chances.
 
Early opportunities from Sasha Mutala and Nathan Sullivan were handled by Braden Holt but the pressure and increasing physicality began to take a toll on the Herd. Tensions boiled over at 13:47 and Grady Lane took a neutral zone penalty for roughing to put the Herd on the penalty kill.
 
The Herd faced numerous shots on the penalty kill but weathered the storm to keep the game scoreless but not for long. Moments after the penalty expired, Chris Douglas went end to end, slicing up the ice through three Bison skaters and tucked the puck in five hole on Holt to open the scoring at 11:40.
 
"If you have a good powerplay it's not always about scoring but gaining momentum. Lee made a good pass to me in the defensive zone, and I was able to gain some speed and walk through. As the goalie went to poke check, I luckily got a stick on it and tipped it through the five hole," said Thunderbirds captain Douglas.
 
The Bisons only mustered one shot in the first and entered the dressing room trailing 1-0 on the scoreboard and were outshot 7-1.
 
The Herd brought a lot of energy to the start of the second and it was rewarded. After UBC failed to clear the puck on several occasions, Kaycee Coyle slid a pass from the left boards to Dawson Pasternak on the top of the right circle, blasting it past Brett Mirwald for the equalizer just over two minutes in.
 
The T-Birds collected themselves and capitalized on a three on two zone entry at 13:23 to retake the lead. Cyle McNabb entered up the middle with the puck and passed it to the right circle for Lee who pinpointed a wrister over the glove of Holt to make the game 2-1.
 
UBC weren't done there and under two minutes later they doubled the lead. UBC controlled the puck for an extended period in the Herd's zone and after a close call on the left post, Douglas made a no look backhand pass across the crease to Mutala. Mutala's first whack at the puck went off the right pad of Holt but his second slide past his outstretched leg to make it 3-1 with 8:22 to go.
 
The Thunderbirds didn't let up and ended up drawing a holding penalty from Ben Bonni with 9:19 left in the second. The Thunderbirds showed why they have the top powerplay in Canada West, this time it was Nathan Sullivan with all the time in the world, walked into the slot and rocketed a shot bar down past a screened Holt to make it 4-1 for the visitors.
 
The Bisons got a late period powerplay but failed to convert. The score going into the third sat at 4-1 with the shot count 16-7 for the T-Birds.
 
The third period was a disaster for the Bisons. The Bisons only managed one shot on net while the Thunderbirds were relentless in their offensive pressure.
 
Five minutes into the frame, Josh Williams completed a beautiful passing play to make it 5-1.  Two and a half minutes late Ty Thorpe cashed in on a loose puck in the crease to make it 6-1. Douglas grabbed his second of the game at the midway mark of the period beating Holt short side from the left circle.
 
Shortly after, Coyle was ejected from the game for kneeing, Lane and Logan Doust were also removed on ten-minute misconducts. Lee capped off the scoring with his sixth of the season on a passing play to make it 8-1 on the powerplay.
 
"It's different guys every goal and on this team, we use our depth all the time and that's a huge key to our success," said Douglas on the team performance.
 
The Bisons finished the game with an 8-1 loss and were outshot 37-9 which included a 21-2 shot count in the third period.
 
"I think we need to skate, we need to compete, and we have to execute. I think if we do those things we can play with all the teams in this league but if we don't do that than you can't play with any of them because all the teams in this league are good. There's never an easy weekend," said Bison's head coach Gordon Burnett.
 
The Bisons rematch with the T-Birds tomorrow afternoon at 2pm at 'The Flem.