SASKATOON – Justin Ball netted two goals, including his first career U SPORTS tally, helping the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey team defeat the UBC Thunderbirds 5-2 on Saturday, Jan. 25.
 
The victory sealed the series sweep for Saskatchewan, who have now won seven-straight games and 15 of their last 16.
 
Levi Cable, Collin Shirley and Sam Ruopp also scored for Saskatchewan. Shirley also had an assist on Ball's second period marker, while Jared Dmytriw also had a two-point night thanks to a pair of helpers.
 
The Thunderbirds received offensive production from six different skaters, with Carter Popoff tallying his fourth of the season, while Austin Vetterl added to his team-lead in points after scoring his eighth of the year. Jarret Tyska, Jake Kryski, Jerret Smith and Tyler Sandhu all tacked on an assist for the visitors.
 
With both clubs electing to roll with their second netminders in the second night of the back-to-back, Travis Child got the start between the pipes for Saskatchewan, while UBC turned to Patrick Dea at the opposite end of the ice.
 
Child recorded 16 saves on 18 shots in the win for the Huskies, while Dea kicked aside 20 of 25 shots he faced for the Thunderbirds.
 
With the win, Saskatchewan improved its record to 18-4-2. Paired with the Calgary Dinos sweeping the Alberta Golden Bears, the Huskies now sit in a tie for first place in the Canada West with four games remaining in the regular season.
 
Meanwhile, the pursuit of the postseason gets a bit murkier for UBC, who fell to 8-13-3. The team is now two points back of the Regina Cougars for the sixth and final playoff spot.
 
It took just 2:55 for the Huskies to open the scoring after Dmytriw went to work on the forecheck, forced a turnover and set up Ball who went forehand-to-backhand and past Dea. The former Melfort Mustang sniper got the monkey off his back, with his first goal as a Huskie.
 
Saskatchewan extended their lead midway through the opening frame, when Cable, who scored the game-winner on Friday night, continued to find success against the T-Birds. The fifth-year forward waltzed into the zone one-on-three and was able to gain separation, before snapping a wrister past Dea to give Saskatchewan a 2-0 lead.
 
However, the visitors were able to respond as they cut the Huskies lead in half following a Saskatchewan interference penalty. The Thunderbirds went to work on the powerplay and after going 0-3 on Friday night, UBC had success on their first attempt with the man-advantage, as Popoff was able to beat Child on a wrister from the right faceoff dot.
 
Despite outshooting the Huskies 9-5 in the opening frame, the Thunderbirds went into the intermission trailing 2-1.
 
The Huskies kept the offence coming, however, as Shirley was able to find twine, registering his ninth of the season just 3:12 into the 2nd period giving Saskatchewan a 3-1 lead.
 
But once again, the Thunderbirds refused to go away. Three seconds after a Huskies' powerplay expired, the visitors were still able to take advantage of having an extra-attacker on the ice, as Smith's wrister from the blueline was deflected by Vetterl to get UBC back within one.
 
Ball continued his big night in the middle frame.
 
After Dmytriw's wrister from the slot sailed high, the Saskatoon native picked up the loose puck from behind the cage and tucked home a wrap-around attempt past a sprawling Dea to make it 4-2..
 
Saskatchewan would enter the final 20 minutes of action with that same lead, but they would keep the goals coming in the third. Ruopp stepped up into the play and entered the zone streaking down the wing, before sniping a wrister over the shoulder of Dea to give the homeside a three-goal cushion.
 
With under two minutes remaining, Ball had a chance to record the hat-trick, but his wrister from outside the blueline caught iron. Regardless, Saskatchewan was able to escape with two points and a weekend sweep.
 
The Huskies will be back on the road next week as they trek eastward to Winnipeg for a weekend series against the Manitoba Bisons
 
Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds will also take to the road next weekend, as they'll make yet another prairie road trip, this time to Lethbridge for a two-game split against the Pronghorns.