VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds pulled out a massive 2-1 win over the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns Saturday afternoon at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, breaking a deadlock late in the third period to clinch a Canada West playoff berth.
Jaedon Cooke's game winner with five minutes remaining pushes UBC six points clear of Lethbridge, tying them with Mount Royal for fifth place in the conference.
Midway through the first, the Pronghorns capitalized on an odd numbered rush as Lethbridge leading scorer Kyra Greig fed Ali Borrow cross ice who then got her fourth of the season past
Tory Micklash from the right-wing boards with a nice shot.
The 'Birds would respond 10 minutes later on their second power play of the game with a great feed by
Hannah Koroll out front to
Hannah Clayton-Carroll who deposited the puck into the top corner for her tenth.
It appeared as if the Pronghorns re-took the lead in the late stages of the opening frame when a Meg Dyer point shot on the power play fooled Micklash. But the goal was waived immediately as a 'Horns player was in the crease. The score would remain even going into the second period following an entertaining opening 20 minutes.
Although the second period lacked goals, it certainly had excitement. Clayton-Carroll was once again involved in the action as she made a great move early in the period, but Lethbridge netminder Alicia Anderson made a great save to keep it even. With the start in goal Saturday, her 119
th appearance of her career, Anderson became the all-time Canada West leader in games played by a goaltender.
Later in the second, the Pronghorns replied with a chance of their own as Greig was left alone in the slot, set up by a Borrow pass, but she was denied by Micklash.
Late in the third it was the T-Birds' chance to grab the lead as Cooke cleaned up a loose puck in tight following a
Mathea Fischer shot for her third of the season.
Lethbridge put Anderson on the bench late in the third for the extra attacker but the 'Birds would stand strong and not allow the Pronghorns any real chances as the home team held on for their first win in four games.
With their playoff hopes dashed, the Pronghorns close out the regular season with a home-and-home series against the Calgary Dinos starting Friday night in Lethbridge.
Having already clinched a trip to the playoffs, the T-Birds will gun for higher positioning next weekend on their final road trip of the season when they visit the Mount Royal Cougars in Calgary.
