VANCOUVER – The Manitoba Bisons women's hockey team ruined 'Seniors Night' for the host UBC Thunderbirds by recording a comeback 4-2 victory on Saturday at Father David Bauer Arena in Vancouver. The win also kept the Bisons' playoff hopes alive.
“I thought we were moving the puck really well,” said UBC head coach Jen Rawson. “I just thought ultimately, we just didn't have the horses, we just ran out of gas from last night and having two-plus lines and two pairings of defenders. You can only sustain things for so long. We didn't give up and we battled through it.”
BOXSCORE
Michelle Pawluk notched the game-winning goal, while teammate Addie Miles scored twice, bringing her weekend total to four goalsagainst UBC. Jessica Carswell added the fourth marker for the Bisons.
Amanda Asay (5th, Prince George, BC), one of the two seniors honoured on the night, got both UBC goals.
In fact, it was dream start for the weary Thunderbirds, as Asay converted on a goalmouth scramble to open the scoring at 3:05 of the first period and just minutes after she and
Tamara Pickford (5th, Chilliwack, BC) were celebrated in a pre-game ceremony for their outstanding hockey careers.
Then at 8:18, Asay scored from the left side of the crease as she finished off a beautiful cross-ice, tic-tac-toe sequence, which started with a
Rebecca Unrau (1st, Humboldt, SK) pass to
Tatiana Rafter (2nd, Winnipeg, MB), near the right boards, who then found Asay.
“It was a pretty exciting start,” said Asay. “It's been a long time since we came out to an early lead so it was just great to get a couple of quick goals and see the team light it on fire. It was a lot fun to play that first half of the first period.”
Manitoba coach Jon Rempel quickly called a timeout. It paid dividends as the Bisons gradually took control of the game, as UBC clearly showed signs of fatigue after playing the entire weekend with just 15 players.
At 16:47 of the first, Miles scored on a beautiful individual play as she brought the puck three-quarters of the ice into the UBC zone in a two-on-one, and fired a shot past Thunderbirds' goaltender,
Samantha Langford (1st, Pense, SK).
After being outshot 6-1 to start the match, Manitoba went into the first period break with a 10-8 advantage in shots.
Miles tied the game at 11:14 of the middle frame as she scored on a rebound.
Then at 15:03, Pawluk tipped home an Amy Lee point shot on a power play for the game-winning marker.
Carswell went on to add an insurance tally in the third.
“It was probably one of the better games we have played,” said Pickford. “As a team, we played together. I think that is the biggest thing.”
Langford made 23 saves on 27 shots in the loss, while Rafter ended the game with two points as she assisted on both Asay goals.
UBC drops to 1-19-2 and will finish off the regular season next weekend at Saskatchewan.
Manitoba trails both Saskatchewan and Lethbridge by three points in the race for the final playoff spot in the Canada West, but the Pronghorns don't have any games remaining.
The Bisons will host Calgary next weekend in their final conference games of 2011-12.
For the two departing UBC players, the loss didn't damper their thoughts about the night or their time as a Thunderbird.
Asay is in her second season with UBC, after playing hockey and softball at Brown University, an Ivy League school in the NCAA.
“It's been great ever since I got here,” said Asay. “Everyone has been really supportive and welcoming. I felt like part of the team right away, so it was great. I really enjoyed both my seasons here, it was awesome.”
Pickford has also had an outstanding career, winning a women's national championship with the Edmonton Chimos. She also played for the Vancouver Griffins of the National Women's Hockey League. Pickford also participated in the NWHL and the Western Women's Hockey League.
“I felt a bunch of emotions, actually,” said Pickford when asked about her last home game. “My nieces and brother and sister-in-law and friends and family came out. It was the first time they've been able to get out from all the way in Yarrow in Chilliwack, so it was nice to have them.”
“But I am also looking forward to new beginnings.”
Pickford says she would eventually like to become a head coach, possibly at a CIS or NCAA school.
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