VANCOUVER - UBC captain Rylind Mackinnon recorded her first-career USPORTS hat-trick in a 4-1 win over the Grant MacEwan Griffins at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre on Friday night. The fourth-year defender from defenceman from Cranbrook, BC has six points (4G, 2A) in five games played since the Christmas Break, already doubling her point total (2G, 4A) from the first 15 games of the season. 



"She's finding it in the second half which is amazing, we need that from her for sure." T-Birds Head Coach Graham Thomas said of Mackinnon. "I think she was gripping the stick, trying a little too hard in the first-half, she's found her stride and been able to settle down."

Friday's win was a hard-fought physical battle, with the eighth placed MacEwan Griffins (6-16-1) racking up 11 minutes in penalties; including a five-minute game misconduct for cross-checking assessed to Rebecca Thiessen. The T-Birds took advantage of their opportunities, going two-for-four on the powerplay.

The Griffins found themselves down two goals heading into the third period, but had been creating turnovers in key areas all night. Tenacious checking paid dividends in the third period, and the result was second-year forward Rian Santos tipping in her first-career Canada West goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

?? WHKY | @UBCWHKY captain Rylind MacKinnon following her 1st @CanadaWest hat trick, leading the 'Birds to a 4-1 win over MacEwan pic.twitter.com/84ZHbdviaG

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) January 28, 2023

UBC fended off a late-push, and third-year forward Mackenzie Kordic potted an empty netter to ice the game for her sixth goal of the season.

"Nobody's getting a free lane anywhere so for her to muscle through all of that and keep moving and get a lane and get it in, it was a good effort, and good second effort," Graham Thomas said of Kordic's insurance goal.

UBC (19-2-2) has now won seven straight games, and are a perfect 12-0 at home. Grace Elliott (2A) also extended her point-streak to seven games, with 10 points over that span, and 17 pts (6G, 11A) on the season.



The second game of the weekend series vs. MacEwan takes place on Saturday at 3:00 pm, it marks the last Saturday home-game of the season for the T-Birds as the playoffs are just around the corner.