VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (0-2-0-1) were eight seconds away from clinching their first win of the season, but the Calgary Dinos (2-0-1-0) scored the late tying marker and then got a game winner from Elizabeth Lang in double overtime for the 2-1 win Friday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, spoiling the 'Birds' home opener.
Following a third period power play goal by rookie forward Chanreet Bassi, the T-Birds were poised to get into the win column while handing the Dinos their first loss of the season. But with the extra attacker, Calgary won a puck battle behind the UBC net and Delaney Frey fired a wraparound past Tory Micklash, spoiling the fourth-year Thunderbird's shutout bid and forcing overtime.
"Too many timely errors and little mistakes and we got to be better at making decisions," said a disappointed UBC head coach Graham Thomas. "We're still a group that needs to learn how to win. We were really close tonight, at times we just had some missed opportunities and we didn't capitalize on them."
The game remained goalless after 40 minutes despite plenty of UBC chances as the T-Birds held the clear edge in play throughout the night, outshooting the Dinos by a 37-24 margin.
UBC finally broke through on the power play midway through the third when Bassi scored her first in the blue and gold. The rookie forward burst into the offensive zone, putting herself on a two-on-one where she held the puck and fired it five-hole past Dinos' netminder Kelsey Roberts who got a piece of it but not enough.
Two minutes into 4-on-4 action, the Dinos were called for interference, giving UBC a critical power play opportunity. But Roberts made several grade "A" saves, mimicking her counterpart at the other end of the ice.
Early in 3-on-3 the 'Birds were awarded another power play, but once again Roberts prevented another goal from sneaking past her.
The clutch Dinos penalty killing paid off as with 1:46 remaining in double overtime, Lang picked up a loose puck in the corner, skated out in front of the UBC net and wristed home her fourth of the season to hand the T-Birds their third straight loss.
UBC finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play while the Dinos went 0-for-2. Roberts picked up her league leading third win of the season, turning aside 36 UBC shots.
The 'Birds picked up their first point of the year in the loss and will look for their first win of the campaign when the two battle again Saturday afternoon. Puck drop at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre is set for 3:00 p.m. PT.
