The Selkirk College Men's Hockey program opened its 2012/13 regular season on a winning note Friday night, topping the defending B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League champions from the University of Victoria by a 4-3 score at the Ian Stewart Complex in Victoria, B.C.
The Saints never trailed in the game despite beginning the season in one of the league's toughest rinks for visiting teams. Selkirk forward Beau Taylor put the visitors on the board, netting his team's first goal of the season with 4:57 remaining in the first period. And the scoring picked up from there, with Mitchell Bell pulling the Vikes even 58 seconds later and Saints captain Jordan Wood restoring the Selkirk lead before intermission.
The teams went on to exchange second period goals, as freshman centre Thomas Hardy put the Saints up two off a fine individual effort before UVic captain Matthew Bell pulled the hosts back within one moments later.
Selkirk controlled much of the third period as they maintained a one-goal lead, but the Vikes found themselves back on even terms after forward Brad Robinson poked home a rebound with 12:29 in regulation. It was the Saints, however, who would ultimately find the winner, which came off the stick of winger Cody Fidgett when he blasted a shot over the glove of Victoria netminder Sunny Gill. The hosts pushed hard in the closing minutes of the third and picked up a late power-play opportunity, but couldn't find the tying goal as Saints starter Alex Sirard stood tall in net.
"Our group battled hard tonight and they were rewarded for a very solid road effort," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "UVic plays on a smaller ice surface than we're used to and they don't give opponents much time or space to operate, so there were some lessons learned tonight that we'll use to be better tomorrow. But we're pleased with the effort and the result, and we're happy to get the season off to a winning start."
The line of Taylor, Hardy and Vancouver Island product Cole Thomson combined for six points in the game, while blueliner Kam Crawford and forwards Connor McLaughlin, Logan Proulx and Scott Swiston all picked up their first points as Saints.
Sirard picked up a first of his own, chalking up the victory in his BCIHL regular season debut with a 24-save effort.
The Saints will look to sweep the two-game weekend series on Saturday night. The game is set for an 8:00 PM faceoff.