THIS WEEKEND: Calgary at UBC, Fri. & Sat., Jan. 14 & 15, 7:00 p.m., Doug Mitchell Arena.
A LOOK AT THE T-BIRDS
The 'Birds didn't get off to the start they wanted in 2011, suffering two losses to a very strong and quick-skating Alberta squad. But the T-Birds managed to get their legs under them in the second game and showed that they are a team who can compete with the best in the country.
UBC will have to come out with the same intensity they captured towards the end of last weekend when they face the Calgary Dinos. The Dinos present some unique challenges, namely forward Hayley Wickenheiser, a three-time Olympic Champion and arguably the most talented female hockey player on the planet.
For the Thunderbirds that means playing a tight-checking game that will rely heavily on the tough veteran presence of
Ashley Henry and
Kirsten Mihalcheon on the blueline.
T-Birds head coach Nancy Wilson will have the benefit of the last line change during the series in Vancouver, a luxury she didn't have when the teams met earlier in the year. UBC was able to earn a victory in that first series and will look to repeat that success this weekend.
Forward
Kaitlin Imai leads the Thunderbirds in scoring, while ever-improving linemate
Tatiana Rafter has steadily been increasing her offensive numbers. The two will be called upon to lead the drive to the Dinos net and produce more shots than the few the team managed versus Alberta.
Veterans
Tamara Pickford and
Alisha Choy were among the strongest players in the series against Alberta, and will be called upon once again for strong two-way performances.
Golatender
Melinda Choy will also look to bounce back to her usual stellar self this weekend after a hot and cold performance to start 2011. Choy is typically the best T-Bird on the ice and will have to be when Wickenheiser and the Dinos come to town.
A LOOK AT THE DINOS
The Dinos arrive on the West Coast ranked seventh in the CIS top 10, sitting just three points out of first place in Canada West with two games in hand on first place Alberta. That means that a sweep of the 'Birds could land Calgary in first place following the weekend.
Hayley Wickenheiser is the most dominant player in the CIS at the moment, her 2.6 points per game the best by a considerable margin. While technically a rookie when it comes to the CIS, Wickenheiser's list of career accomplishments is staggering. She has three Olympic gold medals and one silver. In those four Olympic tournaments, she was twice named MVP.
Although Wickenheiser has played 11 games compared to 15 for most of her teammates, she has more than twice as many points as the next highest scorer on the Dinos. That said, Calgary has some formidable players on their roster.
Notable among those are Elana Lovell, whose 14 points in 15 games put her second on the team. Blueliner Melissa Zubick is also a dangerous presence with 12 points in 15 games.
Dino goalie Amanda Tapp is another exceptional player, earning a shutout in one of every three games she has played this season. Her four shutouts are best among Canada West netminders, and her .933 save percentage is among the best in the entire CIS.
COACH WILSON ON...
The key to playing against Wickenheiser:
“The key is not letting her have a lot of space and time. We need to pressure her, but at the same time, not forget about the other players on the ice. We can't give up opportunities to other players on the ice just because of Hayley.”
Bouncing back from last weekend's slow start:
“We were pretty disappointed in our team play overall. But by the last game we started to generate more team speed and our systems were working a little better. We're certainly confident we can come up with a better effort this weekend.”
The attitude in the dressing room:
“We're going to play the rest of the season with a good effort every single shift. We can't over think the game too much. This weekend we're just going to relax and go out and do the things we do well, like our defensive team play. We've got good leadership in the dressing room, and everybody feels that they want to play every game hard no matter what, and keep moving forward.”
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