Golden Bears Hockey set for a “prove-it” weekend against UBC

The Golden Bears are back at Clare Drake Arena this weekend for a two game set with the number two ranked University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. for both Friday and Saturday.

On paper, UBC is the toughest test in the west. They are 21-2-3, they have already clinched the division, and their goal differential is almost hard to believe. They have scored 136 goals and allowed 62 in 26 games, which sums up to a positive 74 surplus. For context, Alberta is sitting at 81 for and 88 against, summing to negative seven.

UBC has controlled the season series so far, winning all four meetings against Alberta. The Thunderbirds have outscored the Bears 21-8 across those games.

UBC is anything but top-heavy — they have depth. They have a pile of guys near the top of the conference scoring list. Sasha Mutala is at 43 points in 26 games, Ty Thorpe has 34, Josh Williams has 33, and Chris Douglas has 32. Even Jake Lee, as a defenceman, has 32. 

It seems that the T-birds are on a trajectory to beat the incredible 143 goals scored by the 2022–23 Golden Bears team.

Alberta is not built like that this year. The Bears are 10-10-4 in Canada West. They have been good at home, but they have not been able to string together wins.

The good news for Alberta is that they are still in control of their own playoff path.

The Bears sit second place in the West Division with 24 points, and they are only one point ahead of MacEwan University. Second place likely means a home quarterfinal series, while third likely means you are on the road. 

Third-place MacEwan University has Trinity Western University (TWU) this weekend, and TWU only has three wins on the season, so the standings are likely to shift this weekend.

Then, next weekend, Alberta and MacEwan play each other to end the regular season. That series could turn into a straight up fight for home ice.

So what does this weekend actually mean?

First, it is a chance to bank points before the MacEwan rivalry weekend. Alberta does not need to sweep UBC, but they do need something. Even one win or an overtime point could matter, depending on what MacEwan does.

Second, it is a reality check for the kind of hockey Alberta needs come March.

When the Bears are at their best, they are structured. They keep games in front of them, they limit chaos, and they do not trade chances. When games turn into track meets, that is when problems show up. You could see it last weekend in Saskatoon. Those were games where the Bears needed goals to keep up, and they just could not match it. This type of game-script is very likely against the high-powered UBC offense.

Adam Hall has been the main driver offensively. He is sitting at 26 points in 24 games, including 15 goals. There is enough skill in the lineup to score, but Alberta has not had the same margin for error as top teams.

This weekend is the best team in Canada West walking into the Bears building with playoff seeding on the line. If Alberta wants a home quarterfinal, now is the time to score some goals.