Bears Blasted in Home Opener
courtesy Steve Knowles
GOLDEN BEARS OPEN 102ND SEASON WITH 6-0 LOSS TO AUGUSTANA VIKINGS
The University of Alberta Golden Bears opened the 2014-15 season - their 102nd season of intercollegiate hockey - with a 6-0 loss to the visiting University of Alberta-Augstana Vikings at Clare Drake Arena on Thursday, September 4, 2014.
Led by two goals by Konrad Likte and Jeff Lorenz, Augustana held 1-0 and
3-0 leads at the period breaks.
Lorenz led all scorers with a three-point game adding an assist to his two-goals. Former Golden Bear Alex Rodgers scored a shorthanded tally and Devon Hobbs rounded out the scoring with a third period powerplay goal. Boyd Wakelin chipped in with two assists for the Vikings.
The shorthanded goal was sweet revenge for Rodgers, who joins the Vikings after playing two seasons with the Golden Bears in
2010-11 and 2011-12.
It is only the second time in the history of the Alberta - Augustana series that the Vikings have managed to earn the "W"
against the Golden Bears. Augustana's only previous victory over the Golden Bears came on October 14, 1979 in a 2-1 win at Camrose. Alberta is now 25-2-0 (.926) in 27 games versus the Vikings since the series began in 1974-75. Overall against ACAC teams the Golden Bears are 94-17-4 (.834) in 115 games.
The loss marked the first time in seven seasons that the Golden Bears have dropped their season opener. The defending CIS University Cup national champions had not lost a season opener since 2007-08. Alberta is now 62-32-8 (.647) in their 102 season openers since the program first began play in 1908-09 and the Golden Bears are 60-32-5 (.644) in 97 home openers.
Despite outshooting the visiting Vikings 47-17, including 20-5 in the second period, the Golden Bears could not dent the twine behind the Augustana goaltending tandem of Andy Williams and Joel Danyluk. Williams, named the game's first star, received the start in goal for the Vikings and blanked the Golden Bears stopping all 30 shots he faced in the game's first 30:19. Danyluk, who entered the game with Augustana ahead 3-0, made another 17 saves through the final 29:41 minutes of play.
The shutout marked the first time that the Golden Bears had been shutout in a season opener since the 1953-54 season when Alberta was blanked 2-0 by the Edmonton Cloverdales on January 14, 1954.
It was also 55th time that the Golden Bears have been shutout since playing their first game in 1908-09 and it marks only the 27th time they were blanked by an intercollegiate opponent.
Incredibly, it is only the fourth time in Golden Bears history that Alberta has been shutout at home by an intercollegiate opponent, and the first time by a team from the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). Alberta has been shutout only four times in 1057 home games versus intercollegiate opponents.
The last time Alberta was shutout at Clare Drake Arena was on March 1,
1980 when the Calgary Dinos skated to a
2-0 win over the Golden Bears in Game 2 of the Canada West Hockey Final.
The six goal defeat is also the widest margin of defeat suffered by the Golden Bears since a 7-1 loss at Calgary on October 11, 2008 in Canada West Hockey play and it is the biggest defeat on home ice since the Golden Bears were defeated 6-2 by the New Brunswick Varsity Reds on September 17, 2010 in non-conference play.
BEAR FACTS
Head coach Ian Herbers dressed only seven players who were in the lineup for the Golden Bears 3-1 University Cup championship game victory over Saskatchewan last March. In the lineup versus the Vikings were Luke Siemens (G) and forwards T.J. Foster, Travis Toomey, Brett Ferguson, Kruise Reddick, Jamie Crooks and James Dobrowolski.
Not in the lineup were goaltender Kurtis Mucha, defencemen Thomas Carr, Jesse Craige and Jordan Rowley along with forwards Drew Nichol, Johnny Lazo, Jordan Hickmott and Levko Koper. With the graduation of defencemen Ian Barteaux, Coline Joe and Ben Lindemulder the Golden Bears did not have a single defenceman in the lineup from last season's starting six blueliners.
The September 4th game date marked the earliest home opener in Golden Bears history. The previous earliest start to a season on home ice came on September 6, 2012 when the Golden Bears defeated Augustana 5-1.
It is the third consecutive season that the Golden Bears have played their season opener on September 4th. Alberta opened the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons with games at Augustan on September 4th, winning 6-1 and 5-1, respectively.
UP NEXT
The Golden Bears head to Jasper and Hinton, Alberta this weekend where they will hold practices in Hinton on both Friday, September 5th and Saturday, September 6th. They will be staying in Jasper for the weekend and will be involved in outdoor team buliding activites to go along with the practices in Hinton.
Upon their return from the Canadian Rockies, the Golden Bears will travel to Regina to skate at the University of Regina Cougars Summer Challenge tournament on September 12th to 14th.
Alberta will play UBC (Sept. 12),
the host Regina Cougars (Sept. 13) and Manitoba (Sept. 14).
Alberta's next home game will be on Wednesday, September 17 when they host the Edmonton Oilers Rookies in a
7:00 pm start at Clare Drake Arena. The Golden Bears lead the series against the Oilers Rookies 13-10-0, inclduing last season's 4-3 win.
The Golden Bears will also host the 30th Golden Bears - Brick Invitational on September 19th-20th. Alberta faces-off against Saskatchewan at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 19th and will host the Calgary Dinos on Saturday, September 20th at 6:00 pm.