Trojans fill up scoresheet in win over Voyageurs

By Colton Pankiw
SAIT Trojans Student Writer

CALGARY, ALTA., (Feb. 25, 2022) - 

CALGARY, ALTA., (February 25, 2022) – The SAIT Trojans men's hockey team came to play on Friday night.

It was a dominating performance from the Trojans, who controlled play against the Portage College Voyageurs all night long to the tune of a 9-2 victory in their Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) game played at SAIT's Campus Centre.

SAIT moves to 7-6-1-1, while the Voyageurs drop to 2-13.

They didn't take long to get started in the opening period, as goals from Zachary Huber and Kaden Hanas had them up 2-0 less than five minutes into the opening period.

They didn't let off the gas, as Joren Patenaude put home their third of the night with over 10 minutes still remaining in the first. The Voyageurs didn't quit, however, as Brayden Dale was able to fire a shot past Trevor Martin to cut the lead down to two.

Soon after, SAIT's Carson Welke was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped up on a breakaway, and made no mistake as he was able to slide a backhand through the five hole of Portage goalie Jacob Gnidziejko. The high scoring in the first didn't let up there either, as Trojans forward Tanner Klassen made a remarkable play to cut out from behind the net and fire one top shelf to extend the lead to 5-1.

Gnidziejko had to be happy to see the first finally come to an end, as he faced a ridiculous 26 shots while his team mustered up just nine.

Things didn't get much better for him, as just 1:10 into the second period Welke was able to get his second of the night on a great feed from his twin brother, McKenzie.

The game started to get chippy as both teams seemed eager to pay homage to the movie Slapshot on the day of its 45th anniversary. While the scoring didn't come nearly as often as it did in the first, the Trojans were able to get one more before the end of the frame as Braydon Jenkins was able to beat Gnidziejko five hole. The lengthy period concluded with the Trojans holding a 7-1 lead.

The Voyageurs' frustrations boiled over in the third, as they had a tough time staying out of the box and gave up a goal while two men short to Kabe Bleay on a rocket one timer. Later on in the final frame, Hanas took a tripping minor and paid for it, as Logan Spence put home the second of the night for the Voyageurs on Ryan Baker, who came into the game in the final period in relief of Martin.

Just seconds after that goal, the Trojans were able to get yet another, this time from Rock Ruschkowski on a beautiful set up from Liam Freeborn. That would be the final tally of the night, as the Trojans walked away with a decisive 9-2 victory.

Picking up the Player of the Game for the Trojans was Jenkins, who finished the night with a goal and two helpers. For the Voyageurs, Isaac Barr, who tallied an assist on the Voyageurs first goal.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon in their final regular season games of the year. Puck drop is set for 3pm.