VANCOUVER - A three goal first period from the UBC Thunderbirds was enough to split the weekend series as they defeated the visiting Manitoba Bisons 5-1 on Saturday afternoon at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Similar to Friday night, the Thunderbirds came out firing early on in the opening frame and were rewarded for their efforts six minutes in. Some great offensive cycle work by the 'Birds allowed
Grace Elliott to be left alone in the slot, and she sniped home her first Canada West goal for the hosts to go up 1-0.
"It was awesome, it has been a while since I have scored," commented Elliott post game on her opening marker. "It's been two years of practicing so playing a game at home and scoring is awesome,"
A few minutes later, Bisons goaltender Erin Fargey spilled rebound which found the stick of UBC defender
Kennesha Miswaggon all alone down the right wing and she fired one home for her first goal of the season and a 2-0 advantage.
Joelle Fiala added a fantastic third goal for the T-Birds with five and a half minutes to go in the first, as she wheeled down the left wing and bested two Bisons players towards the net, making a slick move in tight for her first Canada West goal to go ahead 3-0.
"Yesterday we started similarly but our efforts didn't pay off unfortunately," said UBC head coach
Graham Thomas. "However, getting those three goals in the first shows you how resilient this team is. We just need to continue to focus on the process, I liked the response from the team today and how consistent we were in capitalizing on our opportunities."
Manitoba generated some good offensive chances to end the first period, but they were all turned aside by
Elise Hugens who was making her second career Canada West start in goal.
The Bisons made it a two-goal game midway through the second period on the power play. A quick offensive zone faceoff win found Camryn Gillis who rifled one home to the left of Hugens in the UBC net.
That goal seemed to spark the 'Birds, as two minutes later
Chanreet Bassi converted a rebound into the Bisons net, and just 1:07 later
Sophia Gaskell snuck home her second of the season to make it a 5-1 UBC lead. Gaskell's goal was a reward for the constant Thunderbirds' pressure in the Manitoba zone, and her shot pinged off both posts and found its way into the net. A solid final frame from the Thunderbirds ensured they picked up the two points and split the weekend series with the Bisons.
"We were preaching about playing a 60-minute game in the dressing room," added Thomas. "And some habits that were developing in the first period despite the three goals just needed to be ironed out and I thought we did that to finish off the game."
The Thunderbirds are on the road next Friday to face the MacEwan University Griffins in their first ever U-Sports meeting. Meanwhile the Bisons visit the Saskatchewan Huskies next Friday and Saturday.
