WINNIPEG – The UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team dropped a 4-3 decision to the Manitoba Bisons on Saturday morning at Wayne Fleming arena.
 
Even with the loss in their regular season finale, the real concern for the Thunderbirds and fans alike lies with goaltender Danielle Dube (New Westminster, B.C.), who was carted off the ice after a goal mouth collision in the opening minute of the second period.
 
Dube is currently in the hospital undergoing tests, with T-Bird head coach Graham Thomas saying it's too early to know the extent of her injuries.
 
With the win, Manitoba temporarily moves into a tie with Saskatchewan for fourth place in the standings with 41 points.
 
Three of the Bisons four goals, including the game winner by Erica Reider at 6:32 of the third period, were scored with the extra attacker. Overall, the Herd went 3-for-6 on the powerplay, while the 'Birds went just 1-for-6 on their own opportunities.
 
The home side entered the contest as the third most penalized team in the conference, but also had the third best penalty killing rate at just under 92 percent – both came into play on Saturday afternoon. 
 
Each team capitalized on the man-advantage in the opening 20 minutes as UBC went 1-for-3, while Manitoba went 2-for-2, with their third powerplay beginning just as the opening 20 minutes were winding down.
 
Manitoba's first goal with the extra man opened the scoring, as Alanna Sharman was gifted with a goal thanks to a clearing pass from Dube which went in off of Sharman's skate at 2:54. 
 
The visitors responded on their first man-advantage just over three minutes later when rookie Mathea Fischer (Oslo, Norway) potted a rebound off of a Logan Boyd (Waterdown, Ont.) point shot.
 
Still in the first period, Finnish import Venla Hovi kept the Herd's powerplay percentage at 100 percent when she tapped home a loose puck at 11:31 after a shot from Reider went off the post. 
 
It was very early in the second period when a seemingly harmless rush ended with Sharman crashing into Dube.
 
There was a thirty-minute delay, as Dube was stretchered off the ice, after which the T-Birds came out with some evident fire
 
The Blue and Gold peppered Bisons goalie Amanda Schubert with a number of shots, including a slap shot by captain Stephanie Schaupmeyer (Kelowna, B.C.) that went off the crossbar.
 
UBC kept up the pace and knotted the score at two on the following faceoff with a Fischer unassisted goal at 7:11. 
 
Both squads traded penalties to close the second period however neither side was able to capitalize.
 
Sharman and Hovi combined to give the Herd back the lead less than 30 seconds into the final frame, as the latter tapped in a rebound off a Sharman wraparound.
 
Kathleen Cahoon (Calgary) answered for the 'Birds just over four minutes later, scoring her fourth goal of the weekend on a beautiful snap shot that beat Schubert cleanly.
 
The 'Birds got into more penalty trouble less than two minutes later, and Reider capped the game's scoring on a 5-on-3.
 
Schubert and Samantha Langford (Pense, Sask.) – who came in at the beginning of the second to replace Dube in net for UBC – both made critical saves down the stretch as the home side were able to hold on for the win. 
 
The top two seeded clubs in the Canada West earn a bye through the playoff quarterfinals. The TBirds need either the Alberta Pandas or the Regina Cougars to lose in regulation tonight to clinch one of the quarterfinal byes.
 
The Pandas are set to face the Mount Royal Cougars in Calgary, while the Cougars will be on the road against the Saskatchewan Huskies.