EDMONTON -
Luc Smith scored a pair and added five shots, as the Alberta Golden Bears opened the 2022 Canada West Final with a 4-2 Game 1 win over the UBC Thunderbirds, Friday night at Clare Drake Arena.
The win puts Alberta within one of capturing their fourth CW title in five seasons, which they can accomplish tomorrow night.
Ryan Hughes and
Eric Florchuk also scored for the Bears, who outshot UBC 31-14 in Game 1. Chris Douglas and Tian Rask scored for UBC, with 2022 CW Goalie of the Year Rylan Toth stopping 27 of the 30 shots he faced in a busy start.
Nick Schneider stopped 12 shots, earning his second win of the 2022 post-season.
The Bears, who looked the stronger side for a majority of Friday night's physical clash, opened the scoring just 1:47 into the first. Hughes took a feed from
Nolan Volcan, snapping a wrister over Toth's shoulder from the slot.
UBC pushed hard for the equalizer, as Douglas was able to beat Schneider just six minutes later, banging in a loose puck in the Alberta crease.
Smith scored his first midway through the second, finishing off a nice passing play on an Alberta powerplay.
UBC, as they did in the first, found the equalizer in short order. Rask beat Schneider just 30 seconds later to level the game a 2-2.
Smith gave Alberta another one-goal lead four minutes later, picking off a UBC pass in the offensive zone, and beating a helpless Toth with another snap-shot from the tight slot.
Alberta cranked up their physicality and defence in the third, allowing just one UBC shot in the final 20 minutes, one that did not test Schneider.
Florchuk sealed the win with a empty-netter in the final minute.
Game 2 of the best-of-three Canada West Final is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Saturday night at Clare Drake Arena, with a possible Game 3 going at the same time on Sunday.
