VANCOUVER – Two quick goals in the third period broke open a tight game and propelled the nation's top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (7-1-1-0) to a 5-1 victory over the host Lethbridge Pronghorns (2-5-1-1) as the T-Birds remain atop the Canada West standings.
 
"We played pretty solid," said UBC head coach Graham Thomas. "It was a scrappy game, and it didn't really settle down through the first two periods. We needed to stick to our process, and that was our focus in the third period."
  
Eight minutes into the contest, the 'Horns would hit the scoreboard first. Chelsea Kasprick walked off the half wall and her high shot from just inside the faceoff circle went off the crossbar and in.
 
It looked like the 'Horns would have a great chance to increase their lead a short time later after UBC put themselves down two players but the 'Horns would return the favour taking a penalty of their own. Despite some good pressure with a 4-on-4 power play the 'Horns could not capitalize with the extra attacker.
 


Before the period was out, UBC would get even as Nicole Saxvik forced the 'Horns defence into a turnover deep in the Lethbridge end and Logan Boyd jumped on the loose puck beating Alicia Anderson high short side.
 
At the end of 20 minutes, shots favored the home side 14-12, while both teams went scoreless on two power-play chances.
 
UBC scored the lone goal of the second period, Hannah Clayton-Carroll corralled her own rebound and buried a shot from in tight for her third of the season.
 
The Thunderbirds outshot the 'Horns 15-6 in the period and despite a parade to the penalty box by both teams the score remained 2-1. Both teams had four power plays apiece and extended five-on-three advantages.
 
With 13 minutes remaining, Katie Zinn almost doubled the lead but her hard wrister hit the crossbar. The T-Birds stayed with the play and were rewarded only seconds later. Jenna Carpenter-Boesch found herself all alone in front and lifted the puck over a sprawled Anderson.
 
Smelling the victory was within their grasp, the T-Birds scored again only 37 seconds later. Melissa Goodwin found Emily O'Neill back door for a tap-in for her first of the season.
 
Goodwin rounded out the scoring, beating Anderson five-hole with just three minutes remaining.
 
"They're a hard working, tough team," said Thomas. "[Lethbridge] is definitely a tough place to win, so it was good to see us pull through and settle down in the third."

The two teams will play on Saturday at 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT.