VANCOUVER, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds fended off a third period Spartans surge to hang on for a 7-5 win Saturday night, sweeping the weekend series over Trinity Western.
Up 6-2 through 40 minutes, the T-Birds (13-5) saw their lead dwindle to a single goal after Brooklyn Anderson scored her second of the night on the power play with four minutes remaining. But Ireland Perrott got some badly needed insurance for UBC with a power play tally of her own to restore the two-goal advantage at the 17:38 mark.
Six of UBC's seven goals came on the power play, two of them from captain Kenzie Robinson in the second half of the second period, including the eventual game winner.
The barn burner didn't ignite until midway through the opening period when UBC's Emma Hall scored her first of the season in just her second game at the 9:07 mark.
TWU (2-18) then struck twice within a 60 second span to take a 2-1 lead into the break on goals from Brooke Legault and Anderson.
The second period belonged to the T-Birds in every possible way. UBC scored a total of five times while outshooting the Spartans by a 16-4 margin.
Ashley McFadden tied the game 4:38 in with her sixth of the season. The 'Birds then quickly raced out to a 5-2 lead with three goals in a 2:47 span from Mackenzie Kordic, Perrott, and Robinson, all of them on the power play.
Robinson's second of the night came with just two seconds remaining in the period as the 'Birds appeared to have the game all but wrapped up with a four goal advantage and just 20 minutes to go.
But the Spartans didn't get the memo, mounting a ferocious comeback attempt beginning with Chloe Reid's first of the season at the 3:09 mark.
While TWU was able to hold the T-Birds off the board, they weren't able to really put a further dent into what was then a three goal deficit until Chelsea Debusschere and Anderson scored just 91 seconds apart, cutting the lead to just one before Perrott's second of the game and eighth of the season put the game on ice.
It was a memorable night to be sure for the host Spartans, despite the loss, as they played their final game of their inaugural Canada West season.
The T-Birds still have two games remaining as they host the Regina Cougars next Friday and Saturday at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Saturday night's win keeps UBC in a tie with the Bisons for second in the conference although Manitoba has now completed their regular season schedule. Depending on the outcome of next weekend's series with Regina, and that of Alberta's final series with the Calgary Dinos, the T-Birds have the possibility of earning a bye through the Canada West quarter-finals.
Simply put, a UBC sweep of the Cougars would clinch at least second in the conference and a semifinal home playoff berth.
