VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds enter this weekend's home stand against the second place Saskatchewan Huskies (6-1-1) on a six-game losing skid. That record is a bit misleading, however, as the T-Birds have dropped four of those games by just one goal, including a pair of standouts performances against powers Alberta (L 2-3) and Manitoba (L 1-2).
In order to get back in the win column, the T-Birds will have to find the back of the net with more regularity as they have scored more than two goals just once this season (in a 4-1 win over Calgary) and have scored just 13 times in eight games this season. Defensively, the T-Birds have been sound for the most part with just one major blemish on their record, an 8-0 loss to Alberta.
A look at the Thunderbirds
With six straight losses weighing on their minds, the T-Birds look to carry their strong play from game two of their weekend series against Alberta last weekend when they pushed the no. 3 ranked Pandas to the limit, losing 3-2 to one of the top programs in the nation. It was a solid bounce back performance after an 8-0 loss in game one of that series and they will need a similar effort to down the talented Huskies.
Tamara Pickford picked up both UBC goals last weekend on the road in Edmonton and the defenceman turned forward leads the T-Birds with seven points (two goals, five assists). Second-year
Kaitlin Imai has had a great start to the season and has been rewarded with three points (two goals and one assist) and is the only other T-Bird with multiple goals this year. Fourth-year
Lisa Bonang and second-year
Chelsea Laing are also on three points.
Melinda Choy has been busy again in net, facing the second most shots in the league with 212 and she sports a 3.23 GAA and .877 save percentage.
A look at the Huskies
Saskatchewan comes into this weekend following a pair of 5-2 defeats of the Calgary Dinos last weekend and the high flying Huskies rank second in the league with 29 goals scored. They have only dropped points to first-place Alberta this season with a 0-1-1 record against the Pandas.
Breanne George (six goals, seven assists) and Julie Paetsch (five goals, eight assists) lead the Huskies with 13 points apiece with Chelsea Purcell also cracking double figures with 10 (six goals, four assists). Sara White and Kelsey Tulloch have also had good starts to the season with six points each through eight games.
In net, Vanessa Frederick has started seven games and sports a 1.42 GAA and .939 save percentage with one shutout. She is a big reason why the Huskies rank second in the league in goals allowed with just 13 surrendered to far this season.
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