Trojans squeak out win over Clippers

CALGARY, ALTA., (Oct. 18, 2019) - In the end, the SAIT Trojans men's hockey team got the two points, and that's all that matters.

SAIT blew a 4-0 lead, but managed to earn their first win of the season, beating the visiting Briercrest College Clippers 5-4 in overtime in their Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) game played at the Campus Centre.

"It feels good to get our first one, we needed it," said Trojans defence man Kevin Massy (4th year, Victoria, BC, Bachelor of Business Administration), who scored the overtime winner. "It's obviously not the way we would have wanted to win it, but a win's a win. We'll enjoy it, and be ready to go again tomorrow."

SAIT moves to 1-1-1 on the season. Briercrest falls to that same mark.

The win was extra special, as it is the first ACAC victory for new Trojans head coach, Tyler Drader.

"It was an important win to get," added Massy. "Hopefully tomorrow we can play a full 60 minutes and do it again."

After a scoreless first period, the Trojans unloaded on the Clippers to tune of four second-period goals.

Tyler Maltby (2nd year, Sherwood Park, Alta., Business Administration) led the way, and was followed by rookie blue liner Mark Drohan (1st year, Calgary, Academic Upgrading), Joren Patenaude (2nd year, Calgary, Bachelor of Business Administration) and Eric Krienke (3rd year, Calgary, Business Administration).

With the game seemingly in-hand, the Trojans let off the gas. In doing so, Briercrest just kept chipping away. Four third-period goals - one by both Zachary Vanderwal and Tyrell Bourk, and a pair by Reagan Poncelet.

"We got into a lull there, and then all of a sudden bang, bang, bang, it's a tie game," Massy admitted. "Despite that, we knew what we had to do and were confident going into the overtime period."

In that overtime, SAIT started it by killing off a minor penalty given at the end of the third period. After killing it, SAIT found themselves up a man when Briercrest got called for hooking.

On the ensuing 4-on-3 power play, the Trojans finished things off in style. With the puck at the point, defenceman Kord Pankewicz (3rd year, Leduc, Alta. Pre-employment Carpentry) fired a slap pass to the right corner onto the stick of Krienke, who just as quickly as he received it, fired the puck all the way across the ice to Massy with a wide-open net.

"I had the world to shoot at there, so I just had to get it on net," Massy laughed.

The Trojans and Clippers will finish their weekend set Saturday afternoon at 2pm at the Campus Centre.