VANCOUVER – Two third period goals gave the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns women's hockey team a 2-0 win over the UBC Thunderbirds Friday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Both Pronghorns' goals came from rookies playing in their first regular season Canadian Interuniversity Sport games.
Their effort spoiled the regular season debut of UBC head coach Jen Rawson.
“It would have been nice to start with a win,” said Rawson. “It's just disappointing that we didn't play our best tonight.”
Kirsten Reeves scored at 1:07 of the third period as she fired a shot from the right side that went through a maze of players and past heavily screened UBC goaltender,
Samantha Langford (1st, Pense, SK).
UBC had a great opportunity to tie the game late in the third period, when Jasmin Teske of Lethbridge was penalized for body checking. But despite some sustained pressure, the Thunderbirds could not score.
Just 34 seconds after Teske got out of the penalty box, the Pronghorns added an insurance goal, courtesy of Sadie Lenstra, at 19:46 of the third period.
Both teams went scoreless on the power play.
Lethbridge goaltender Crystal Patterson wasn't particularly busy, but did block 19 UBC shots for the shutout victory.
Patterson's best saves came three minutes into the second period when she stopped UBC's
Tatiana Rafter (2nd, Winnipeg, MB) on a point-blank shot in front of the net and then stuffed Rafter again on the rebound.
Rebecca Unrau (1st, Humboldt, SK) then had a couple more chances on an ensuing scramble but was denied by Patterson.
Langford made 21 saves in her UBC debut and was praised by her coach.
“Samantha was certainly our best player tonight,” said Rawson. "She kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win it.”
UBC and Lethbridge will meet again on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
“I think we'll be better tomorrow, especially in the mental part of the game,” said Rawson after Friday's loss. “A lot of the first-year players might have been slightly nervous tonight. It will be good for them tomorrow to have had a game under their belts.”
