Golden Bears start strong in thrilling home opener

The University of Alberta Golden Bears opened their season with a 3-2 win at home over the Trinity Western Spartans on Friday night. A crowd of 1,279 packed Clare Drake Arena. Students, alumni, and community members filled every corner. The air was energized with the uncertain hope of a new season.

Alberta ranked fourth in the Canada West preseason coaches poll, while Saskatchewan, the defending champion, held the top spot. Trinity Western was ranked last place in the conference. 

The first period ended scoreless, neither team generated many high-chance scoring opportunities. While the Bears spent the majority of the time in their offensive zone, puck battles were fought frequently in the corners rather than in the slot.

After a slow first period, they found their legs. Alonso Tapia Ruiz scored on a smooth two-on-zero breakaway. His finish brought the crowd to its feet. Minutes later, Adam Hall doubled the lead after a pass from team captain Dawson Davidson. Davidson, a defenseman, was a key offensive force, finishing with two assists.

The Spartans refused to give up. Christian Lowe scored early in the third to make it 2–1. Rookie Matthias Bessey then tied it at 11:56 with his first U Sports goal. Suddenly, a comfortable lead was gone.

That set the stage for a veteran moment. With just over a minute left, third-year forward Alex Thacker fired home the game-winner. He fired the puck past goaltender Leon Sommer for his first of the year. Thacker is expected to be a key contributor to Alberta’s offense, so this clutch goal carried weight.

Goaltender Ethan Kruger made 12 saves for Alberta, resulting in an .875 save percentage. Sommer stopped 37 shots to keep the Spartans in the game, finishing with a healthy .920 save percentage. The Bears finished with a 40-16 edge in shots.

The roster includes 13 new players this season, so the veterans will need to guide the group through tough stretches. Expect a blue-collar, disciplined playstyle this season. The roster has room to grow and improve, but not without a few bumps along the way.

This was just one win, and against the team ranked last in preseason polls. However, starting a season 1-0 is always a plus.

This Friday, the Bears face off against their Edmonton rivals: the MacEwan University Griffins. Reserve your student ticket now, because this home-ice energy isn’t going anywhere.