After receiving a good grade on a difficult test against the number one ranked team in the country last weekend, the UBC Thunderbirds hit the road for the first pair of four straight away from home to close out 2018. The 'Birds are in Regina Friday and Saturday, November 23 and 24 to face the Cougars for the first time this season.

This weekend series marks the official halfway point of the 2018-19 Canada West season with Regina (5-5-1-1) being the only team the T-Birds (5-2-2-3) have yet to face this year.



It will be another two pivotal meetings for a pair of teams right in the middle of a standings logjam. The 'Birds are currently tied with the Saskatchewan Huskies for third in the conference while the Cougars are just four points behind.

Puck drop Friday night at the Co-Operators Centre is 5:00 p.m. PT with Saturday's game scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT.
 

Last Action

The T-Birds picked up four out of a possible six points against the No. 1 ranked Bisons by way of a shootout loss Friday night followed by a 2-1 third period comeback win on Saturday.

Regina completed the weekend sweep over the host Calgary Dinos with a pair of 2-1 victories, Friday night's version in double overtime.


 

By the Numbers

3 – UBC has taken a grand total of just three penalties over the last two games. It's a trend the 'Birds want to continue especially this weekend. In last year's season series with the Cougars, the two teams averaged a combined 17.75 penalties per game.

54 – Special teams could very well be a significant factor this weekend and the T-Birds will aim to warm up their power play. UBC has been on the man advantage a total of 54 times so far this season, more than anyone else in the conference, but the power play is clicking at just 11.1 percent.
 

Players to Watch

Ashley McFadden (#13, F) – The first year forward scored the game winner last Saturday against the Bisons, her third goal of the season which leads all UBC rookies. McFadden's five points is good for fourth among all conference rookies.



Tory Micklash (#31, G) – Picking up her fifth win of the season between the pipes for UBC last Saturday, the third year goaltender is boasting the best stats of her T-Bird career with a .952 save percentage and a 0.96 goals against average with two shutouts.
 

Coach's Take

Last weekend's performance against the Bisons, while not perfect, can certainly be seen as another stepping stone for a young group looking to carve its way forward.

"Our leaders have been doing a really good job of setting the tone and it's been elevating us to the next level we need to get to, learning how to become a championship group," said UBC head coach Graham Thomas. "We're really happy with the progress we're making, we've learned a lot and we like the momentum we got right now. The goal is to continue to build on our belief and confidence over the next four games."

The Cougars present a different sort of challenge to the 'Birds, and one that will test their focus.

"We always have tough games with them, they have some good high-end talent and there always seems to be some close battles," added Thomas. "For us, our goal is to just play our game, stay disciplined and play to our strengths but we always know they're going to be hard fought battles with them so we have to be ready for a physical game."