WINNIPEG – The top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team snapped a two game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the No. 7 Manitoba Bisons Saturday at Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg.
 
With the win, the Thunderbirds strengthen their stronghold on first place in the Canada West with a 15-3-2-0 record, Manitoba falls to 10-5-3-2 on the season.
 
In a potential preview of what is to come in the playoffs between the T-Birds and the Bisons, Haneet Parhar stole the show for UBC on Saturday afternoon. Parhar scored two goals and added an assist in the Thunderbirds' 4-3 win.
 
Rachel Dyck, making her second start in as many days for the Bisons, made 18 saves in the loss. Amelia Boughn, making her first start of the weekend, made 23 saves in the win.
 
The Thunderbirds came out flying in the first period, with Parhar scoring two quick goals in the first 10 minutes. With the 'Birds up 2-0, Parhar fed a beautiful feed out to fifth-year forward Emily O'Neill and she made no mistake with her shot sliding through Dyck's pads.
 
The home team struggled mightily in the opening frame, as they looked sluggish and were dominated by UBC in shots and possession in the attacking zone. The Bisons made it 3-1 with 15 seconds remaining in the first via the stick of Venla Hovi. Hovi extended her point streak to six games when she came barreling down the right wing, cut across the slot and fired through the wickets of Boughn.
 
In the second period, the 'Birds dominated the early going and almost regained their two goal lead when Shiayli Toni rang one off the iron. The Bisons drew within in one when Alana Serhan tipped in an Erica Rieder shot from the point at the halfway mark of the second.
 
The third period saw the T-Birds regain their two-goal lead six minutes through Nicole Saxvik. She took a pass from defenceman Mikayla Ogrodniczuk and sniped it over Dyck's glove from the top of the wheelhouse.
 


Halfway through the third the Bisons cut the lead in half by Alexandra Anderson, who took the puck in front of the net on her forehand and put it to her backhand and roofed it on a sprawling Boughn.
 
UBC was close to making it a 5-3 game on the power play late in the third but the extended leg of Dyck kept the puck out of her net. The Bisons had some furious pressure to finish the game off, but could not capitalize as Boughn stood tall.
 
The T-Birds will be back on the road next weekend, with Friday and Saturday games at Saskatchewan.