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Antilla, UBC clinch playoff spot

University hockey

With a playoff spot already clinched, Joe Antilla and the UBC Thunderbirds have one weekend series left in their schedule to tune up for the Canada West playoffs.

The third-year forward from Madeira Park has three goals and six assists in 24 games for the UBC men’s hockey team, but has turned up his play even higher as of late.

UBC split its Winter Classic series with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies over the Jan. 16 weekend, losing in double overtime on Jan. 16 in front of a record home crowd of 3,049, and rebounded with a 5-0 win on Jan. 17 with Antilla picking up a goal.

UBC saw its record go to 12-9-5 after a 3-2 loss to Regina on Jan. 23, but picked up a 1-0 win over the Cougars on Saturday night.

Antilla, Anthony Bardaro, Nate Fleming and Cole Wilson led UBC with two shots apiece in the first 20. Antilla saw time on both the power play and the penalty kill, in which he led a short-handed rush for one of the period’s most exciting scoring opportunities.

The score remained 1-0 as the Thunderbirds outlasted the visiting Cougars in the final period. Antilla was afforded a penalty shot as another one of his short-handed breakaways was cut short by a Regina defenceman in front of the net. Unfortunately, he was unable to capitalize.

The fourth-place T-Birds have one more weekend series, this weekend when they travel to Lethbridge to take on the eighth-place Pronghorns.

UBC still has a chance of hosting a home playoff game.

— With files from UBC Athletics