For the third straight year, the UBC Thunderbirds will hoist a Canada West championship banner to the rafters of the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre as the blue and gold host their 2024-25 home opening weekend series against the Mount Royal Cougars starting this Friday night.
Kicking off the new campaign with a road sweep of the Calgary Dinos, the T-Birds face one of their staunchest rivals as they look to continue their dominance on home ice where they have lost just once in regulation over the last two years.
"We're excited to honour the first three-peat in our program's history, but I think outside of a few moments I think everyone's ready to play," said UBC head coach
Graham Thomas on his team's business-like approach to the new season. "We've talked about it being a new year with a new look. Everyone's excited and fired up for this year and I think that's where the team's heads are at right now."
Two of the top three teams in the regular season last year, the T-Birds and Cougars both head into week two of 2024-25 undefeated with MRU earning a pair of shutout wins at home over the Trinity Western Spartans.
"They're well coached as always, they have strong special teams and they had a strong weekend there," said Thomas of the Cougars. "They always have good goaltending, they have some good veterans from their national championship team so they know how to win. It's going to be a good challenge."
Despite allowing an uncharacteristic five combined goals against in Calgary last weekend, the T-Birds have every reason to feel good about themselves offensively with some breakout performances, led by Canada West Player of the Week
Karine Sandilands.
"Sandilands is a good example of someone waiting for her opportunity. She has the ability and scoring touch. We're going to need everyone to step up and good for her for doing that, what a timely moment to do that. To start off the year like that is good for her. She's put a lot of work in over the years so it's good to see her get some recognition."
No longer having the likes of former captain
Rylind MacKinnon who graduated last spring, means veterans and rookies alike will need to fill some significant gaps.
But given the depth the T-Birds boast, along with returning the bulk of the remainder of last year's roster including 2023-24 Canada West leading scorer
Mackenzie Kordic, there's little reason to doubt UBC will once again continue to be an offensive powerhouse.
Friday night's matchup with the Cougars will be the first of six meetings this regular season between the two rivals. Puck drop for UBC's home opener this Friday, October 11, is set for 7:00 p.m., immediately following the raising of last year's championship banner. Saturday's rematch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., also at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Tickets for both games are available now and both will also be streamed live on
Canada West TV.
