Finding themselves back in the U SPORTS top ten, the surging UBC Thunderbirds close out 2018 on the road with a pair of games in southern Alberta against the Lethbridge Pronghorns Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1.
Winners of three straight and four of the last five, the T-Birds (6-2-3-3) have their sights set on the top of the Canada West standings heading into the coming holiday and exam break. Ranked ninth in the country, the 'Birds are in third place in the conference, just one point behind Alberta and just two back of Manitoba.
The Pronghorns (3-9-0-2), meanwhile, are trying to break a six-game losing skid. Lethbridge does bring in some confidence against UBC knowing they can beat the 'Birds having done so in the season opener back in early October when 'Horns goaltender Alicia Anderson stopped 41 shots in a 2-0 shutout.
UBC will look to avenge their home opener result when the puck drops Friday night at 6:00 p.m. PT. Saturday's final meeting between the two and the last game of 2018 goes at 1:00 p.m. PT, both at the Nicholas Sheran Ice Centre.
Last Action
UBC completed the weekend sweep of the Cougars in Regina last weekend with a 3-0 shutout win Friday night followed by their first shootout victory of the season, 2-1 on Saturday.
The Pronghorns dropped back-to-back one-goal losses to the Mount Royals Cougars in a home-and-home series last weekend. Lethbridge fell 2-1 in Calgary on Friday night and then suffered their fifth shutout loss on Saturday, 1-0 at home.
Players to Watch
Kenzie Robinson (#88, F) – The third-year forward scored in each of UBC's wins in Regina last weekend, her first two goals of the season, both on the power play. A ferocious checker, Robinson hasn't missed a single game for the 'Birds the last two seasons and is a reliable piece for UBC in all situations.
Mathea Fischer (#26, F) – The Norwegian forward currently leads the Thunderbirds with 10 points on the season (3 G, 7 A), and is a +6. The fourth-year Sauder student has matched her goal total from last year and is just three games away from 100 in her Canada West career.
Coach's Take
An up-and-down start to the season has not only started to even out for the 'Birds, but the team is now steadily climbing and seeing consistent results, thanks in large part to growing confidence.
"It's the belief in what we're doing here, believing in each other and themselves," said UBC head coach
Graham Thomas who has seen a quick improvement in his young squad over the first half of the season. "We've got really good buy-in, they're taking their commitment to the team to the next level in what they need to do to be successful."
Officially halfway through the Canada West season, the 'Birds are looking forward to getting a second crack at their opponents and this weekend can be a good test to see just how much they have improved.
"We're excited to see where we're at and we're excited for the challenge with back-to-back road trips," added Thomas. "There are things where we could easily make a lot of excuses so it will be a good test and challenge for our resiliency to stay focused and sharp. We're starting to build and climb, now that we're into the second half and in a tight battle, to keep that momentum going into the break would be awesome and a good confidence boost at the right time."
