Griffins torch Spartans with program record 66 shots in 6-1 rout
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
Team Stats
Trinity Western
| Game Statistics | MacEwan University | Trinity Western |
|---|---|---|
| PowerPlays | 1 for 5 | 1 for 4 |
| Shorthanded Goals | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties (min) | 8 (16) | 9 (29) |
| Shots on Goal | 66 | 28 |
| Face Offs Won | 0 | 0 |
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
LANGLEY, B.C. – Firing a franchise record 66 shots on net – tied for the third-highest total in a Canada West game in the last 25 seasons – the MacEwan Griffins roasted the Trinity Western Spartans 6-1 on Saturday to improve their chances of a home playoff series.
In what might have been the best game they've played all season, the Griffins had six different goal scorers, went 2-for-4 on the powerplay and got a solid 27-save performance from goaltender Carson Ironside.
"I was very impressed with the group," said Griffins head coach Zack Dailey. "That's probably one of the most complete games we've played.
"What I really liked was we did things the right way. We worked, we kept it simple, we chipped pucks, we went to work in the corners. So, I thought that a very good overall game."
With the result, the Griffins swept the season series against Trinity Western, outscoring them 35-16 in six meetings. MacEwan improves to 11-10-5 with the win, moving three points ahead of Alberta (10-12-4), who lost 5-2 vs. UBC on Saturday.
The Edmonton rivals will finish the regular season with a home-and-home series against one another Feb. 13-14. If the Griffins win at least one of those games, they will host a Canada West quarter-final for the first time in program history.
"Last tuneup before playoffs," said Dailey. "I think we're playing some really good hockey. It's going to be an emotional pressure weekend, but I think everything that's happened so far has prepared us. Just focusing on playing a shift at a time, working hard and doing things the correct way.
"Regardless of results, if we do things correctly, at the end of the day we can look in the mirror and be happy with ourselves. I really think if we play the correct way we'll be successful."
That's exactly what they did on Saturday as they started by playing better defensively than they did in Friday's wild 6-5 overtime win and eventually came in waves at the beleaguered Spartans, who fell to 3-20-3 after the defeat.
"I challenged the group before the game about our defensive play, and I thought that was a little bit better, as well," said Dailey. "I'm definitely happy with the effort today."
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Men's Hockey (@GriffinsMHKY) February 8, 2026
Brett Bamber gets a tip on Kadyn Chabot's shot in the dying seconds to send the @MacEwanGriffins into the first intermission up 1-0!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/oLmHV9tTQB
Brett Bamber tipped in Kadyn Chabot's point shot to open the scoring with 20 seconds left in the first period.
Leon Sommer was standing on his head with 40 saves in the opening 40 minutes, but the Griffins managed to take a 2-0 lead into the third period when Sam Simard won an offensive zone draw forward to Ethan Sundar, who ripped a quick past the Spartans netminder.
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Men's Hockey (@GriffinsMHKY) February 8, 2026
Textbook faceoff play!
Ethan Sundar rips it home off a draw won forward by Sam Simard.
It's 2-0 for the @MacEwanGriffins after 40 minutes.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/twTF4cSnLb
Aiden Knutson's powerplay goal just 2:01 into the third period pulled Trinity Western within one, but then the floodgates poured open.
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Men's Hockey (@GriffinsMHKY) February 8, 2026
Sam Simard crashes the crease to put the @MacEwanGriffins up by two early in the third!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/0YqAZlmMN2
Simard stretched his goal-scoring streak to six games (and seven of the last eight) when he crashed the net for a rebound off Brody Tallman's powerplay shot 3:45 into the third. Simard also has a nine-game point streak going.
Just under four minutes later came the most endearing goal of the evening as rookie Rhett Dekowny potted his first career Canada West goal off a Myles Gauld pass.
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Men's Hockey (@GriffinsMHKY) February 8, 2026
First goal alert!
Rookie Rhett Dekowny has his first @CanadaWest goal and it's a big one as it puts the @MacEwanGriffins up 4-1 on @TWUSpartans!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/w2IByKAzRI
"I don't think I've celebrated a goal all year, but I was so excited to see him score," said Dailey. "He's been all around the net, creating tons of scoring chances all year. So, I'm very happy he got his first one."
Only 29 seconds later, Chabot scooped up a puck in the neutral zone, walked over the blueline and sniped it past Sommer for his Canada West-leading 18th goal of the season.
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Men's Hockey (@GriffinsMHKY) February 8, 2026
Meet your @CanadaWest goal scoring leader!
Kadyn Chabot pots his 18th of the season to take sole possession of first in the conference scoring race.
It also puts the @MacEwanGriffins up 5-1 in this one.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/U6mwMzgzNV
Brendan Boyle finished the rout with his second of the campaign on the powerplay with 2:03 remaining when he crashed the net and got his own rebound.
"Other guys stepped up," said Dailey. "I gave some guys opportunities on the powerplay late and Boyle got a goal on the powerplay there. So, there were some really good things.
"They worked and they earned things tonight, so I was very impressed with that."
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Men's Hockey (@GriffinsMHKY) February 8, 2026
Brendan Boyle gets in on the fun, pouncing on his own rebound to make it 6-1 @MacEwanGriffins!
With the win, the Griffins move three points clear of #YEG rival @GBHKY in a race for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/4qqwDMlRDL
When the scoreboard read 66 shots at the end of the evening, it tied for the 14th most ever in a Canada West game.
Only Saskatchewan's 81-shot 4-3 double overtime win over Calgary in 2016 and Alberta's 68-shot effort in a 9-1 win over Lethbridge in 2019 are higher totals than MacEwan's in the past 25 seasons. Both Alberta (2015) and UBC (2022) also had 66-shot games.
Both Keaton Dowhaniuk and Dwayne Jean Jr. matched the program record for the most shots in a Canada West game by a rookie with eight apiece.
"It's definitely a positive," said Dailey of the shot total. "We didn't play the way we wanted to yesterday, so we had a chance to redeem ourselves. Obviously, we did.
"It shows the group cares, it shows they want to get better and want to continue to push. So, a very, very good effort and a great bounce-back from our game yesterday."
