LANGLEY, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds (3-2-0-0) snapped a mini two-game losing streak, and now sport a winning record on the young Canada West season, after holding off the Trinity Western Spartans (0-3-0-0) 1-0 at the Langley Events Centre on Friday night.

The T-Birds outshot their crosstown rivals 24-14 in the first half of the home-and-home series, but could not solve Spartans goaltender Kate Fawcett until the final frame, when Vanessa Schaefer tallied her first goal as a Thunderbird.

UBC had a chance to break the game open early with a pair of powerplays in the first period, but could not capitalize.



The skate was on the other foot in the second, as the 'Birds were sent to the sin bin twice, but their defence held firm. In fact, despite being down a player for four full minutes in the frame, UBC only allowed two shots all period.

In the third, the blue and gold finally broke through. On the rush, Schaefer, who played for Team Switzerland in the most recent Women's World Hockey Championships, outskated the backchecking Spartans center to create a brief three-on-two in the Trinity Western zone. Makenzie MacCallum had the puck on her stick and her head up as she crossed the right circle, saw the Swiss national streaking in and fed her a perfect pass in the high slot, which Schaefer snapped home under the left arm of Fawcett.

Despite another powerplay each later in the frame neither team tallied again and Schaefer's first goal for UBC proved to be the winner.



The two teams square off again Saturday afternoon, when Trinity Western comes to Point Grey for a 3:00 p.m. (PT) puck drop at the Doug Mitchell UBC Thunderbirds Sports Centre. Tickets for the rematch are still available here.

Stream all T-Birds regular season action, live or on demand, on Canada West TV.