BURNABY, BC — First BCIHL start, first BCIHL shutout.

It’s a stat most goalies would be envious of. It’s one that belongs to SFU freshman goaltender Andrew Henderson, who put up a 25 save performance Saturday evening to help his team to a 3-0 win over the University of Victoria Vikes.

“I’m really happy,” said Henderson, who spent time with the Notre Dame Hounds and the Yorkton Terriers of the SJHL last season. “It’s been a while since I’ve played, so I’ve been pretty anxious to get in the net.

“It was a good performance by the team overall, I mean they really helped me out a lot tonight, keeping shots to outside blocker shots for me, so it made it simple for me, but obviously it’s exciting to get a shutout.”

SFU came out of the gate with determination, controlling the pace of play from puck drop.

Despite some good chances in the first, it would take until the second period for SFU to open the scoring, with Kyle Bergh potting the goal up high 2:37 into the frame on the power play. Jake Keremidschieff and Justin Lee collected assists.

Henderson had to be sharp to keep the one-goal lead well into the third period.

The insurance goal would go to Mac Colasimone, who scored on a shorthanded breakaway just past the midway point in the third. Keremidschieff would wrap up the affair with his first BCIHL goal three minutes later. McKullen Astill and Arjan Cheema also put up assists.

SFU kept UVic goalie Daniel Paul busy, putting up 38 shots.

It was a good bounceback effort in the second night of a back-to-back, after falling 5-4 in overtime the previous night having given up a three-goal lead in the third period.

“We just came up and down the ice a bit quicker, our backcheck was a bit better, just a bit harder on sticks — all those little things I think paid off,” explained Bergh.

“Sixty minutes is what we ask for,” said head coach Mark Coletta after the game. “You know, you’re gonna lose hockey games during the course of the season, but when you lose hockey games because you don’t give that effort and kind of collapse mentally, that’s inexcusable, and I thought our guys bounced back tonight and did a tremendous job. Three periods of really good hockey.

“Our guys can play like that all the time.”

With a 2-0-1 record — and all three goalies having played a game — SFU plays their first road game of the season this Thursday, taking on an undefeated Trinity Western University Spartans team.

“They play a structured style of hockey, they get into lanes, they block shots, they counter really well, and they have some dangerous guys — they’re champions for a reason — so we’ve got to make sure we do our job to dictate the pace of play, don’t give up those odd man rushes, and get shots through because they do block a lot,” said Coletta.

Puck drop is 7 pm at the Langley Events Centre. Next home game is also against TWU, on Saturday, November 2.

Three Stars:
1st Star: SFU #43 Kyle Bergh (1G, GWG)
2nd Star: UVic #34 Daniel Paul (35 Saves, .921 SV%)
3rd Star: SFU #9 Mac Colasimone (1G)

AROUND THE BCIHL: Trinity Western University continued their three-game win streak to open the season, with a close 6-5 result Saturday night against Vancouver Island University. Brett Witala had a hattrick and an assist for VIU, while 11 different players put up a point for TWU, with Evan Last and Logan Casavant leading the way with three each.