In a rematch of last season’s BC Intercollegiate Hockey League championship series, the Trinity Western Spartans went into hostile territory against the defending champs and returned with a split.
The Spartans defeated the Selkirk Saints 4-3 on Friday night before the Saints bounced back with a 3-2 victory.
Both games were played at the Castlegar Recreation Centre and the loss snapped the Spartans five-game winning streak.
The Spartans are now 5-2-0.
"It was a great game," said Spartans coach Barret Kropf.
"There was a lot of playoff-like intensity and physicality. It's tough to lose those ones because guys battled so hard and gave everything they had. They were blocking shots and winning puck battles. It was a rugged game and the guys played well.
“They competed for each other and in that process, we became a better hockey club. Everyone continued to battle and at this time of year those are really valuable lessons to put in the bank and draw some interest on later on."
Jarret Fontaine and Jamey Kreller had the Spartan goals.
In the victory the night before, Karsten Seidel and Ryan Scott scored goals 15 seconds apart and Fontaine made it 3-0 six minutes later. All three goals came in the first period.
Selkirk cut the lead to 3-2 early in the second before Fontaine scored the eventual winner midway through the period.
TWU now begins a four-game home-stand at the Langley Events Centre starting with a matinee on Nov. 12 against the Victoria.