It took 54 shots and 33 minutes and 46 seconds of overtime before Scott Bowles and the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team finally succumbed. The Horns dropped a 4-3, triple-overtime heartbreaker to University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, Sunday night at Nicholas Sheran Arena, giving the T-Birds a 2-1 Canada West playoff series victory.

Bowles, a star all weekend, made numerous saves to keep his club in the hunt Sunday, none better than a sprawling stop with the paddle of his stick as time ticked down in the waning seconds of the second overtime frame. The stop, which took away an open net bid, extended the game and the Horns' season and prompted a standing ovation from another strong and boisterous Pronghorn crowd. The club, however, couldn't find a way to get a shot by T-Birds' netminder Francois Thuot and UBC eventually netted the winner on a point shot deflection that also rebounded off a Pronghorn defender and by Bowles in the third overtime period.

The triple-overtime classic was the second longest game in Canada West playoff history, falling just shy of the 39:16 of extra time played between University of Saskatchewan and University of Alberta, Mar. 10, 2007. It was also a fitting end to a series that started with back-to-back overtime games Friday and Saturday nights. UBC won the opener on Friday with the Horns extending the series with a dramatic last-minute comeback and victory on Saturday.

On Sunday, Dustin Moore had a pair of goals and Ryan Pottruff added a single to go along with Bowles' 50-save performance in net. Thuot stopped 45 shots for the T-Birds, who have now won successive playoff series over the Pronghorns. The teams last met in the spring of 2007 when UBC again prevailed 2-1.

UBC advances to face University of Saskatchewan in the second round of playoffs this weekend. The other Canada West semifinal sees University of Regina visit University of Alberta.