Rukavina scores twice as ‘Birds shutout WolfPack

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The defending U SPORTS champion UBC Thunderbirds (3-0) dominated their first road game of the Canada West season with a 3-0 victory over the host Thompson Rivers WolfPack (0-3) Friday night at Hillside Stadium.

Markus Rukavina scored his first two goals as a Thunderbird, striking just four minutes apart to give his side a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Henri Godbout notched his first of the season late in the second to seal the victory while Jack Garner earned his first clean sheet victory with the T-Birds (3-0) remaining undefeated on the young Canada West campaign.



"That was a good, solid win for the boys today, very business like, I like it," said UBC head coach, Mike Mosher, following his squad's second 3-0 start in the last three seasons. "The game in the early stages was a bit choppy and lacked flow, but we were patient and then took chances in the later stages of the first half when they came, and that of course changed the game. It was great to see Markus Rukavina take his two first half goals very well, he's had a very nice start to the campaign."

UBC broke the ice in the 40^th minute when Luke Norman deftly played the ball through to Rukavina who got away from his mark inside the area and tucked it around a pair of TRU defenders and inside the near post for a spectacular finish.

The second-year forward completed the brace in the 44^th by chipping the ball off the underside of the crossbar from 12 yards out, giving UBC all the momentum they'd need heading into the break.

Thompson Rivers pressed as the second half progressed and the clock became their enemy, but it was Godbout who put the game on ice with his first of the season in the 75^th to expand the UBC lead to three, heading in the ball from extreme close range off a Norman corner.



UBC put 23 shots towards the goal, ten of them on target while Garner was forced to make just one save on the night to collect his third consecutive win of the season.

"I was pleased with our defensive performance today getting a clean sheet for the first time this season," Mosher said. "Jack Garner getting his first Canada West shutout, and we didn't give up too many chances the other way in the process."

Remaining tied atop the Pacific Division with the also undefeated UNBC Timberwolves, the T-Birds travel to Kelowna Saturday to face the UBC Okanagan Heat who dropped their season opener Friday night, 2-1 to the visiting Victoria Vikes.

Kickoff Saturday is set for 7:00 p.m. with live coverage on Canada West TV.