Bears hockey lose against MacEwan for the first time since 2007

The Golden Bears 8-game win streak against the MacEwan University Griffins came to an end on October 7. This loss, their only loss since their first matchup in 2007, came while playing shorthanded in overtime, the final score at 3-4 for the Griffins. 

MacEwan started off strong, scoring the first goal of the game less than two minutes in. The goal came from Griffin Brendan Boyle, left unguarded by the Bears in front of the net, off a pass from Kobe Mohr. 

The Bears quickly came back, with Tyler Preziuso scoring two goals. The first of Preziuso’s goals came on a one-time shot, off a pass from behind the net. The second was when the Bears forward carried the puck into MacEwan’s zone, shooting from the outside lane. The Bears were playing shorthanded when Preziuso scored bar-down.

The first period ended at a score of 2-1, in favour of the Bears, with 12 shots on net, to MacEwan’s four. 

During the second period, Griffin Sean Comrie fired a shot from the point, putting the puck in the net, tying the score at 2-2. 

The Bears got no goals in the second, but did receive some penalties. With a little over six minutes left in the period, Bears Dylan Plouffe received a penalty for hooking. Shortly after, being joined in the box by Jared Freadrich for interference.

With two players away from penalties, the Bears faced just under two minutes of three-on-five hockey, with a tied score. The Bears played the penalty kill well and denied any Griffins goals during that time. The Bears goalie Nick Schneider was able to keep the puck in front of him for the whole one minute 40 seconds, despite being peppered with shots.

By the end of the second period, the Bears had one player in the penalty box, a tied score of 2-2, and 24 shots on net, as the Griffins had 19 shots. 

To start the third period off, MacEwan’s Ryley Appelt caught a pass in front of the net, shooting the puck over Schneiders shoulder, ending the tie, as the score hit 2-3 for the Griffins. 

Following several good shots from both sides and with less than three minutes remaining in the period, Bear Matt Fonteyne took a backhanded shot off a rebound. The shot tied up the game once more at 3-3 while on a Bears powerplay.

The third period ended at a score of 3-3 forcing the teams into a four-on-four overtime. 

In overtime, the Bears had several more chances for a game-winning goal. Namely, 15 seconds into the period, when the Bears missed a pass in front of the Griffins net. 

Eventually, following a hooking call on Preziuso, MacEwan’s Curtis Roach won the game on a shot from the point, ending the game at 3-4 for the Griffins, with 25 shots on net to the Bears 51.