VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds (8-9-1-4) are on back on home ice to host the Saskatchewan Huskies (11-6-2-3) for an important back-to-back Canada West series with just three weeks remaining in the regular season.

The T-Birds hold the sixth and final playoff berth heading into the weekend tilt, whereas the Huskies join three other teams to have already clinched their ticket to the postseason and currently sit third in the Canada West. UBC is five points ahead of the Lethbridge Pronghorns (6-12-1-3) who have dropped eight straight games and are now outside of the playoff picture.

UBC swept the Huskies in Saskatoon in their previous meetings earlier this season - winning 3-2 in overtime and earning a 1-0 shutout with four different 'Birds finding the back of the net (Hannah Koroll, Emma Hall, Kennesha Miswaggon and Hannah Clayton-Carroll). 

Puck drop for a game one matinee goes Friday, January 24, at 11:30 a.m. PT at Father David Bauer Arena, while game two is slated for Saturday, January 25, at 7:00 p.m. PT inside the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

Last Action

UBC snapped a nine-game winless streak last weekend in Manitoba to earn a series split with the Bisons. Jordyn Zacharias lifted Manitoba to a 1-0 OT victory at home in game one, but the 'Birds stormed out to a 4-0 lead in the first period of game two and hung on for a 4-3 victory to get back in the win column. Mathea Fischer earned a goal and an assist for the T-Birds, while Clayton-Carroll picked up two assists in the win.

Saskatchewan has won four straight games and kept the second-place Calgary Dinos (13-6-1-2) off the score sheet last weekend in Saskatoon. The Huskies earned a 1-0 shootout victory before Kennedy Brown scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win the following evening.

Coach's Take

UBC head coach Graham Thomas says his team is hungry and ready to keep building toward the playoffs.

"It's a different vibe, it's a nice vibe but not a complacent vibe," said Thomas. "I was really happy and proud to see how we stuck together in those tough times and supported each other and I think that will make a big difference on the mental side of the game. Playing the right way is the most important thing going down the stretch. Getting into a hosting playoff spot is a secondary motivator right now. Whatever comes our way, as long as we're hitting our stride at the right time. We're going to have to beat everybody if we're going to accomplish what we want to accomplish. I've never been through this type of adversity in my eight years here. But any time you go through any kind of adversity it's going to make you more resilient. You're going to need that in a tight playoff game, that can really help us down the stretch."