Vancouver, BC - After a weekend off to rest injuries and recharge, the UBC Thunderbirds get back to business this weekend. The team will travel to Winnipeg to face the University of Manitoba Bisons for a pair of games that could have a large impact on the Canada West standings.
The Thunderbirds currently sit in third place with a record of 5-2-3, but just three points separate third from sixth, making every point crucial. UBC hasn't lost in regulation time in four straight contests, going 3-0-1 over the past three weeks, but even a one game slip-up could be the difference between playing at home and travelling in the playoffs.
“We want to make the playoffs, that's our initial goal,” explained head coach
Graham Thomas. “But if we can host a playoff series, it's something that's never been done in program history.”
Teams in the top four spots in Canada West get a chance to host a playoff series. Even with that longer-term goal now a possibility, the Thunderbirds can't rest easy against a lower ranked team.
“We need to be really focused,” said Thomas. “We really can't take a night off. We're excited about it. We're down a few bodies, but it gives an opportunity to other girls to step up.”
The Bisons currently sit in seventh with a 3-6-1 record and have the fewest goals scored and most goals against in the conference. Even still, they're not a team to be taken lightly, and they've played most competition tough
“Manitoba is a much better team than their record shows,” said Thomas. “Any team from third to eighth could be in that position if they got some bounces. Watching the video and talking to the other coaches, some of the toughest games have been played against Manitoba.”
For UBC, last weekend's conference-wide bye week was timed perfectly. The team was able to rest some injured players, while the healthy players got a chance for additional skills training. The hope for the Thunderbirds is that the weekend off to rest and recharge has them ready to sustain their early success in the second half of the season.
The puck will drop at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Max Bell Arena.
