LETHBRIDGE - After being swept at home by the Pronghorns earlier in the season, the UBC Thunderbirds opened their weekend series with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Horns on Friday night at the Nicholas Sheran Arena.
The last time these two teams met, Lethbridge scored with less than a minute remaining to steal the victory and secure the sweep. It looked like it was going to be déjà vu for the T-Birds as they once again gave up a late goal with 'Horns goalie Kailey McMaster pulled to tie the game up at two. After overtime couldn't determine a winner, the teams went to a shootout where Christie Capozzi scored the lone goal in the fourth round of shooters to give her side a much needed two points.
UBC head coach Nancy Wilson wasn't completely satisfied with her team's effort but was happy to come away with the win.
"Lethbridge has a good skating team but we didn't show up until the third
period. We have to build from the last period for tomorrow and go from
there," said Wilson.
The T-Birds opened the scoring early in the first period as
Jenny Mahovlich wired a wrist shot past the glove of McMaster at the 3:02 mark of the opening frame. The T-Birds nearly went up by two after breaking in on a 2-on-1 but McMaster stacked the pads to deny the easy tap in. With less than 30 seocnds remaining Lethbridge's Glenda Edie sent a shot on goal through traffic that eluded T-Birds goalie
Melinda Choy and to knot the score at one after one.
There was little to choose from between the teams in the second period as each side counted eight shots. The best chance of the period came when Lethbridge's Jenna-Marie Durnin tip a shot that beat Choy but rang off the iron to preserve the deadlock.
The T-Birds broke the tie at the 7:43 mark of the third period when
Chelsea Laing hammered a one-timer from
Dayle Poulin to give the T-Birds a 2-1 lead. With the net empty the 'Horns evened the game with 25 seconds left when Brittney Kaye's initial was stopped by Choy but the puck found the stick of shot Amy Van Buskirk who slipped the rebound passed a helpless Choy to send the game to overtime.
Overtime solved nothing and both McMaster and Choy stood tall for their teams in overtime before UBC's fourth shooter Christie Capozzi shelved a wrist shot past the glove of McMaster. Amy Van Buskirk's effort was then turned aside by Choy to give her team the 3-2 victory.
The win improves the T-Birds record to 7-9-1 on the season and ties them with Regina for the fourth and final playoff spot with 15 points. The Horns drop to 3-9-3 on the season and are six points back of the T-Birds and Cougars for a berth in the postseason. These two teams will lock up again tomorrow night at Nicholas Sheran Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm.
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