VANCOUVER – It's a perfect start to 2018 for the UBC Thunderbirds (11-4-1-2) who used a pair of first period goals to power to a 3-0 win over the visiting Calgary Dinos (6-10-0-2) Saturday afternoon at Father Bauer Arena.
 
After running into a goaltender nearly impossible to beat in Calgary's Kelsey Roberts Friday night, the T-Birds came out of the gate like a shot, peppering the Dinos net early and often. The aggressive start paid off as Cassandra Vilgrain opened scoring on what turned out to be the game winner at the 8:24 mark of the first. The fifth-year forward completed a wrap-around for her third of the season while Hannah Clayton-Carroll and Mathea Fischer picked up the assists.


 
The 'Birds kept up the pressure and doubled their lead less than three minutes later when Vilgrain returned the favour, powering to the net before Clayton-Carroll popped home a rebound for her team-leading ninth of the season.
 
"If we don't get those goals early, who knows what the game looks like, it was really important to get those early ones," said UBC head coach Graham Thomas who was without two key pieces up front in Brie Bellerive and Jaedon Cooke, who left Friday night's game with an upper body injury. "Everyone stepped up. That's the strength of our group, anyone can step up on any night and fill a role and chip in offensively or defensively."
 

Amelia Boughn makes 19 saves for her 3rd shutout of the season as @UBCWHKY earns a 3-0 win over the @UCDinos completing the season series sweep! 'Birds with 2 shutouts to start 2018 and now 1 point back of the @umbisons for 1st

— Jeff Sargeant (@jeffthesarge) January 6, 2018

Picking up where Friday night left off, penalty killing was a strength for both teams with a combined 16 power play opportunities, but both the T-Birds and Dinos finished the game 0-for-8.
 
UBC continued to press in the second outshooting the Dinos by a 15-6 margin while Fischer picked up her second point of the night and second goal of the season at the 15:21 mark. Alexa Ranahan fired a shot from the slot just wide of the goal but Fischer was able to back-hand it bar-down to give the 'Birds a three-goal lead heading to the final frame. Clayton-Carroll picked up another assist as she finished with a three-point game, the first of her career.

Relentless pressure results in Mathea Fischer's 2nd of the season, helping @UBCWHKY to a 3-0 win over the @UCDinos pic.twitter.com/1kOWvyqkkN

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) January 7, 2018

UBC outshot Calgary 30-19 while Amelia Boughn earned her third shutout of the season and the 'Birds' second straight goose egg to begin 2018 while completing the season series sweep of the Dinos.
 
"Our goaltending definitely hasn't been an issue," chuckled Thomas. "Right now they're both battling, they're both really good. They're just so focused, they work really hard and they're dialled in."
 
Thanks to a Manitoba overtime loss to the Alberta Pandas Saturday afternoon, the Thunderbirds are now just one point back of the Bisons for first place in the conference. The Dinos have a two-point lead over the Mount Royal Cougars for the sixth and final Canada West playoff berth.
 
The T-Birds remain at home next weekend hosting the Regina Cougars Friday and Saturday at Father Bauer while the Dinos play a home-and-home series with the Pandas.