VANCOUVER – The 2023 Canada West champion will be determined in a third and deciding game on Sunday after the UBC Thunderbirds stormed back with a 5-1 game two win to even the best-of-three series against the Mount Royal Cougars.
The defending conference champion T-Birds blew the game open in the third period with three goals in a three-minute span while scoring three times on four power play chances over the course of a dominant game.
"We were hungrier, a little bit more focussed and just a little bit more attacking with a purpose," said UBC head coach
Graham Thomas after the much-improved offensive result compared to game one's shutout loss. "And shooting to the right places – we've been making these goalies look good here. We've been averaging 3.5 goals per game with 35 shots per game all season long, the talent just doesn't go away. And in playoffs we've been averaging about one goal per game on the same amount of shots. We just have to find a way to execute on those chances. Full marks to our group for doing that."
After failing to solve Kaitlyn Ross on 38 shots in game one Friday night, the T-Birds needed less than five minutes Saturday to get their first goal of the series, opening scoring with
Hannah Koroll's first of the playoffs.
Mackenzie Kordic worked the puck along the left wing boards and made a feed to Koroll who snuck past MRU's defenders in the low slot where she fired past Ross' glove.
The T-Birds appeared to have doubled their lead halfway through the second on a goal mouth scramble but it was immediately waived off due to goaltender interference.
Before the period was out, however, the 'Birds did indeed take their first multi-goal lead of the series when
Joelle Fiala got her stick on a loose puck, jamming it past a sprawled out Ross for her first of the post-season.
Midway through the final period the floodgates burst open for the T-Birds who scored twice within a 52 second span on a pair of beautiful shots.
Chanreet Bassi earned her first of the playoffs on a power play slap shot at the 8:58 mark.
Mia Bierd followed up with her first as she held the puck and fired while on a two-on-one.
Just over two minutes later the T-Birds scored their third power play goal of the game to make it 5-0 on Koroll's second of the night.
The Cougars did manage to spoil
Elise Hugens' shutout bid just 32 seconds after Koroll's second when Aliya Jomha popped home a rebound off a quick shot immediately off a faceoff in UBC's zone.
Hugens wasn't nearly as busy as Ross, making nine saves to record her third win of the playoffs with UBC outshooting the Cougars 42-10.
"We knew their backs were up against the wall today and we were going to get their best effort, and we certainly got that today," said Mount Royal head coach Scott Rivett. "I don't think we did a very good job handling the pressure they were able to create but we'll learn from it and be better tomorrow. We got to do a better job with the puck and that starts in our own zone, we haven't done a very good job right now through both games to be honest so if we can have the puck on our sticks a little bit more hopefully we can generate some opportunities, get to the inside of the ice."
The Cougars' hopes of securing their first ever Canada West title will have to wait at least one more day, while the T-Birds have renewed energy in their bid to repeat as conference champions.
"We just have to reset, it's a whole new game, a whole new day," added Thomas. "We just have to come ready to bring our best and be hungry and really want it more than they do tomorrow. That's going to make the difference, make sure we're playing Thunderbird hockey and if we do that the results will take care of themselves."
Puck drop for the third and deciding game of the Canada West Final is set for 3:00 p.m. PT on Sunday at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Tickets are available now and the game will also be streamed live on
Canada West TV.
