BURNABY, BC — After beating them 8-1 two weeks ago, the SFU Men’s Hockey Team surrendered two shorthanded goals on way to a 4-1 loss to Vancouver Island University.

“If you watch the first period, we just came out thinking it would be the same result [as last time]. Our guys were a little lacklustre, and then you’re chasing the game,” said head coach Mark Coletta. “A good team like VIU is going to make you pay.

“Consistency’s been our downfall most of the year, and we’ve got to get better.”

By the first intermission, SFU were down by two. VIU’s Turner Popoff opened the scoring just after the midway point in the frame. Kobe Oishi potted the second on a shorthanded two-on-one opportunity from a pass from Gage Colpron.

Shots were slightly on SFU’s side, by way of 11-10.

SFU almost got on the board twice in the second period. Thirty-three seconds in, Mac Colasimone put the puck in the back of the net, but the goal was waved off for goaltender interference. Spencer Unger had the puck on the goal line on a breakaway with eight minutes left in the frame, but Carson Schamerhorn made the big save.

The only scoring of the second period came with a case of deja vu. Oishi put up another shorthanded goal from Colpron to put VIU up 3-0.

While SFU struggled on the man advantage, they were on top of their game on the penalty kill. With 12 penalty minutes in the second period, did not allow a power play goal in the frame. Braxton Bilous had a solid shorthanded chance.

Colasimone made sure “Underwear Toss Night” wasn’t all for naught, scoring a nice goal on an end-to-end rush. Mathew Berry-Lamontagna got an assist.

Vancouver Island shot down any hope for an SFU comeback with an empty netter with 1:58 left.

The Clan outshot VIU 27-24. Lyndon Stanwood made 20 saves on 23 shots (.870 SV%). SFU went 0-for-6 on the power play.

SFU will have a chance for redemption next Saturday, December 2nd, at home against Trinity Western in the final game of the 2017 half of the season.

“That second period, the way we penalty killed, if we played like that five-on-five from the beginning of the game, I think it would have been a different result,” explained Coletta. “We’ve just got to get a different focus come Monday [in practice], hopefully we get a couple of bodies back, and we’ll be ready to go.”

At the Bill Copeland Sports Centre, tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for children under 6 or for SFU students with valid ID. The game will also be streamed live on HockeyTV. Puck drop is at 7 pm.

Three Stars:
1st Star: VIU #90 Kobe Oishi (2G, 0A)
2nd Star: VIU #29 Gage Colpron (0G, 2A)
3rd Star: VIU #31 Carson Schamerhorn (26 Saves, .963 SV%)

AROUND THE BCIHL: Eastern Washington earned their first victory of the season, a 5-3 home win over UVic. Beau Walker had a hattrick and an assist on route to the victory. EWU opened up the game 2-0, but UVic scored three straight to make it 3-2. EWU then scored three straight themselves, including the only two goals of the third period.