VANCOUVER – Fresh off of their first win of the 2015-16 season, the UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team were on the hunt for back-to-back victories during their weekend matchups versus the Mount Royal Cougars. Thanks in part to a two-goal effort from
Rebecca Unrau (Humboldt, Sask.) the Thunderbirds were able to defeat the Cougars 4-3 in what was an exciting and unpredictable game. The win brings to Thunderbirds season record to 2-2.
Mount Royal were looking for both their first win of the season and a much-needed offensive boost. The Cougars only recorded one goal in their first three games of the season.
The Thunderbirds came out firing with four shots in the first two minutes of play. The onslaught forced Mount Royal to take an early timeout to regroup.
A pair of UBC penalties midway through the first provided MRU with multiple opportunities to end their goal drought, but they were unable to generate any meaningful chances.
UBC tried to take advantage of a hooking call against MRU late in the period, but solid goaltending from Emma Pincott, who made nine saves in the opening period, kept the game deadlocked.
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Unlike the quiet first period, the second was a continuous display of offensive pressure from both teams. MRU's Sarah Weninger, in alone on a breakaway, opened scoring with a nice deke, tucking the puck past
Samantha Langford (Pense, Sask.) in the first minute of the period.
At 9:24, Cougars forward Reanna Arnold found Weninger out front who snuck in her second of the night, giving MRU their first two-goal lead of the season.
The Thunderbirds didn't let the deficit discourage them. A holding call against MRU gave UBC their third power play of the night. The Thunderbirds capitalized and got on the board after the puck was deflected into MRU's net following a scramble out front. Credit for the goal was given to
Mikayla Ogrodniczuk (Vancouver).
A shot from the point by
Kaylin Snodgrass (Longview, Alta.) was tipped in by
Nicole Saxvik (North Vancouver) at 18:19, tying things up before the end of the second. Then, with less than a minute left in the period, Unrau snuck the puck through the five-hole of Pincott and brought the Thunderbirds to a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
With nine minutes left in the game, following a defensive mix-up in the Thunderbirds' zone, an interception resulted in the tying goal from MRU's Carly Bertram .
Impressive efforts from both goaltenders kept things tied at 3-3 throughout the remainder of a chippy, back-and-forth third period.
UBC maintained pressure in the Cougars zone for a majority of 4-on-4 overtime. The steady offence paid off when, with less than a minute left, Unrau fired the game-winner past Pincott.
The Thunderbirds will look to continue their win streak when they head back to Alberta for the second weekend in a row to face off against the Calgary Dinos (0-3) on October 16 and 17.
The Cougars will look for their first win of the season when they visit Manitoba (2-2) next weekend.
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