VANCOUVER –
Laura Jordan (2nd, Wheeling, IL) scored two goals, including the game-winner, and assisted on another to lead the UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team to a 4-2 victory over the Lethbridge Pronghorns.
The two schools split the season-opening series, after Lethbridge took Friday's matchup by a score of 2-0.
With the win, UBC's Jen Rawson recorded her first Canadian Interuniversity Sport victory as a head coach.
“I'm just glad we did things better tonight,” said Rawson when asked about her first win. “We seemed to have better positioning. I thought we just had a little bit more jump and we just started to think about keeping things simple. That seemed to be the focus the players needed to carry out the game plan.”
Jordan's game-winning goal came at 14:57 of the third period. She one-timed a pass from
Kaitlin Imai (4th, Coquitlam, BC) in the left corner and chipped the puck over the left pad of Lethbridge goaltender Crystal Patterson, who made 21 saves in the loss.
The goal came against the flow of play, as Lethbridge seemed to have the momentum.
The Pronghorns had scored two straight goals to tie the game after UBC held a 2-0 lead deep into the second period.
At 18:33 of the middle frame, Breanna Frasca got Lethbridge's first goal.
Then at about the six-minute mark of the third period, the Pronghorns tied the game on what could have been a devastating sequence for UBC.
Thunderbird
Tatiana Rafter (2nd, Winnipeg, MB) hit the crossbar with a wrist shot. Lethbridge took the rebound and rushed down the ice into the UBC zone where Jenna-Marie Durnin scored to tie the game at 6:19.
“We battled back after Lethbridge tied it up,” said Rawson. “I thought we showed a lot of grit and character to stay focused and come back.”
Rawson was also happy with how her team started the game, a day after being shutout on home ice.
Jordan opened the scoring at 13:58 from the left hash mark, converting on a pass from Imai on a two-on-one.
“It was one of those times where I was pretty sure I should get off for a line change but I said I'm not going to and I just kept going,” said Jordan about her first goal. “I had my stick on the ice, Kaitlin passed the puck, she made an awesome pass and I'm so happy that I caught it. I'm surprised that I did. I didn't think. I just shot it. The goalie was moving right as I shot it, so it was a perfect five-hole opening. It was quick.”
Then at 18:08, Rafter put UBC two goals up by tipping home a left point shot from
Emily Grainger (4th, Sooke, BC).
Rafter ended the night with a goal and two assists, as did Imai, who scored the empty net marker to make the final 4-2.
Thunderbirds goaltender
Carly Butcher (1st, Bellingham, WA) stopped 30 shots in her UBC debut for her first CIS victory.
“I thought she was really fantastic,” said Rawson when asked about Butcher's play. “She's really good with all that traffic in front and all the battling that goes on in front of the net, so I was really happy for her.”
UBC (1-1) will have a bye week before returning to action against the Regina Cougars on October 28 and 29 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Lethbridge (1-1) will host the Saskatchewan Huskies (2-0) in its home-opening series next weekend.
