2016-17 record (Canada West regular season): 23 W – 4 L – 1 OTL
2016-17 record (CW playoffs): 4 W – 2 L
2016-17 record (U SPORTS championship): 2 W – 1 L
2016-17 Canada West All Stars: Kelly Murray (Medicine Hat, AB), Defenceman (First Team)
Cassandra Vilgrain (Calgary, AB), Forward (First Team)
Tory Micklash (East St. Paul, MB), Goaltender (All-Rookie)
Mairead Bast (Red Deer, AB), Defenceman (All-Rookie)
2016-17 U SPORTS All Canadians: Kelly Murray (Medicine Hat, AB), Defenceman (First Team)
Cassandra Vilgrain (Calgary, AB), Forward (Second Team)
Mairead Bast (Red Deer, AB), Defenceman (All-Rookie)
Coming off back-to-back Canada West championships, the UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team is facing a season full of change and renewal.
Having lost eight members from last year's squad that finished with a bronze medal at the U SPORTS national championship, the T-Birds still boast a wealth of young talent along with some good veteran presence in the likes of newly minted captain and fourth-year defenceman
Celine Tardif.
Last Year the 'Birds re-wrote the team history books posting 23 wins, tied for the most in a single season in Canada West history while also finishing atop the conference standings for the first time.
The 'Birds used their home ice advantage to defeat the Saskatchewan Huskies in three games advancing to the Canada West final for the second straight season. UBC then dispatched the Alberta Pandas in three games to capture a second straight conference banner and third in five seasons.
UBC fell short at the national championships for the second straight year with a 1-0 loss to McGill in the semi-final but brought home a bronze medal to go along with a silver from the year before.
Now entering his sixth season behind the Thunderbirds' bench,
Graham Thomas faces one of his biggest challenges in moving forward without five of last year's top seven scorers.
"It's a new group and a new year," said Thomas who is just six regular season wins shy of 100 in his Canada West career.
"We have a new challenge, we want this group to focus on the process and doing things right. Competing and learning good habits and working on upholding our culture with our new leadership group."
Joining Tardif in the official leadership group are forwards
Cassandra Vilgrain and
Kathleen Cahoon, along with defencemen
Alexa Ranahan and
Kirsten Toth who is now in her fifth and final season after missing all of last year due to injury.
This year the 'Birds return all three of their goaltenders in
Tory Micklash,
Amelia Boughn, and
Danielle Wierenga, but have significant changes on both the blue line and up front.
Gone are defencemen
Kelly Murray,
Katie Zinn and
Mairead Bast along with forwards
Nicole Saxvik,
Haneet Parhar, Jenna Carptener-Boesch,
Emily O'Neill, and former captain
Stephanie Schaupmeyer.
"We're going to miss the experience, especially the ones that were there for five years," said Thomas of his departing seniors.
"But we're very confident in this group, it's just going to take a little bit of patience and some time. We just have to make sure our work ethic and our focus is there and that we're staying resilient, trusting each other and sticking to the process while we learn how to win and come together as a group."
Thomas is rightfully excited about his recruiting class which also includes a pair of NCAA transfers in forwards
Emily Costales (Syracuse University) and Brie Bellerive (Clarkson University).
Also joining the T-Birds this season are rookie forwards
Jenna Fletcher (Thompson Okanagan Lakers),
Ireland Perrott (Pursuit of Excellence), and
Shay-Lee McConnell (Ontario Hockey Academy).
UBC's blue line is being bolstered with the additions of
Karlee Mazor (St. Mary's Academy) and
Emily Moore (Edge School).
After spending last year as a red shirt, local forward
Tiffany Chiu is also a big boost to the 'Birds' scoring threat up front.
The T-Birds just finished a busy pre-season that saw them play eight games within a three-week period, including two against professional CWHL squads and a tough battle against the Chinese national team.
"We wanted to be challenged by older players, some Olympians to challenge our pace," said Thomas.
"We're going to be stronger for it in the long-run."
The 'Birds are now focussed on opening up the regular season this Friday and Saturday, October 6th and 7th at home against the visiting Manitoba Bisons. Last year the 'Birds went 3-1 against the Bisons winning both meetings in Vancouver by a combined 9-4 margin.
"This year it's important to not have pressure and an expectation on us," said Thomas about his younger but still very talented team.
"We're confident in this group. We just want to go out and play and compete and show what we can do. If we do the little things right the rest will take care of itself."
Puck drop for Friday's season opener is 7:00 p.m. PT with Saturday's rematch against the Bisons on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. PT, both at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
