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BCIHL: Selkirk College Saints fall

The Selkirk College Saints’ winning streak came to an abrupt end, as the team dropped back-to-back games for the first time since March 2012

The Selkirk College Saints’ winning streak came to an abrupt end, as the team dropped back-to-back games for the first time since March 2012 this weekend, losing to both Thompson Rivers University and Simon Fraser University on Friday and Saturday.

In the trip opener on Friday, the Saints were defeated 5-2 by a WolfPack squad that they had swept in Castlegar by a combined 13-2 margin the previous weekend. TRU jumped out to a two-goal lead that the Saints would eventually match on goals from former Trail Smoke Eater captain Logan Proulx and Colin Minardi, but it was downhill from there as the hosts would score three unanswered

goals to solidify the victory.

Another former Trail Smoke Eater forward Tyler Berkholtz scored a pair of goals for the WolfPack, while Mark Menicucci picked up his first BCIHL win in net for TRU.

“The effort on Friday night in Kamloops was the poorest I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois.

“The complacency and lack of focus were glaring, and to their credit TRU took full advantage of the chances they created. But for our part, it was an unacceptable performance in every aspect, which was surprising because we’ve done a good job avoiding these types of efforts in the past.”

On Saturday, the Saints rebounded with a solid effort but nevertheless dropped a 5-3 decision to Simon Fraser University in their first meeting since Selkirk captured the 2013 BCIHL Championship in March.

Connor McLaughlin opened the scoring midway wthrough the first period but left the game soon after when an SFU player’s skate cut him on the neck following a collision along the board. McLaughlin was taken to hospital for treatment but was able to rejoin the team for the trip home to Castlegar.

“Connor’s injury was a scary moment,” says Dubois. “He was able to make it off the ice, but once we saw the cut on the bench it was obvious that he was very lucky for it not to have been more serious.”

SFU seized the momentum over the final minutes of the period, scoring a power-play marker and a pair of even strength goals in quick succession. The Saints received goals from Scott Swiston and Jackson Garrett over the final 40 minutes but were never able to close the Clan lead to fewer than two goals.

The Saints will look to bounce back from the disappointing weekend when Trinity Western University (4-1) pays their first visit of the regular season on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The game marks the first of three straight between Selkirk and TWU, as a two-game match-up is on tap for Langley the following weekend.