SASKATOON, Sask. – The UBC Thunderbirds (0-1, 24-1-3) took down the UNB Reds 4-0 in their U SPORTS consolation semifinal, sending the T-Birds through to Sunday's consolation final against the host Saskatchewan Huskies. UBC was in control of the game from start to finish, holding an enormous advantage in puck possession, giving up very few chances and never appearing threatening by the AUS champions.

"When our team plays our game and sticks to the script, consistently playing to our strengths, that's the kind of result you get," commented UBC head coach Graham Thomas after the game. "UNB's a great team, a great program as well, three-time conference champions. It just shows what our group can do when we're playing with confidence and we stick together and play together."
 

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Elise Hugens picked up the shutout for UBC after turning away all 17 shots that she faced. On the other side, Kendra Woodland stopped 40 of the 44 shots against her, including several spectacular saves to keep her team in the one-sided affair. That earned her Nike Team Player of the Game honours.

Chanreet Bassi was UBC's Nike Team Player of the Game after scoring in the second period. Sophia Gaskell picked up a goal and two assists, while Joelle Fiala and Sierra LaPlante scored the 'Birds other goals.



"We moved the puck really well, got back to what's been working for us all year, that was the key," said Thomas. "Going back to that motion in the offensive zone, having that five-player offence. We showcased our skills and we stayed in emotional control, didn't let the outside things we can't control rattle us or bother us. When we do that, we're dangerous."

With seven minutes to go in the first, the T-Birds got on the board. A well-executed zone breakout saw Grace Elliot make a nifty pass off of the half-boards to spring Joelle Fiala and Analise Wong on a two-on-one. Fiala kept her head up, calmly froze the defender with her eyes, seeming intent on passing, before instead whipping a wrister under the arm of Woodland.
The first ended 1-0, with the shots 11-7 favouring UBC.

The T-Birds quickly added to their total in the second. After Jacquelyn Fleming drew a UNB tripping penalty just a minute into the frame, the UBC powerplay went to work. The 'Birds won the offensive zone faceoff and put intense pressure on the Reds, getting multiple chances and winning 50/50 puck battles to retain possession, before Bassi struck. The forward kept her feet moving on the cycle and a Gaskell pass found her just as she was cutting to her right in middle of the ice at the top of the circle. Bassi put her whole body into a wrister back to left side of the goal and it was past Woodward and in the in the net before the Reds goalie even reacted.

UBC kept pouring on the pressure throughout the second period. A Gaskell wrister from the blueline was deflected off of a UNB defender and got past Woodward to give the defender her third point of the game with eight minutes left in the period.



The shots at the end of the second were indicative of the balance of play, 29-11 for the blue and gold.

The 'Birds were back at it early in the third. Sierra LaPlante winged in an innocent looking wrister from the blueline three minutes in and it hit something in front, took a turn, and bounced past Woodward to put UBC up 4-0. Ashton Thorpe was in the vicinity of the deflection, but LaPlante was officially credited with her first goal of the championships.

The teams played to a stalemate from there, thanks to hard work from Woodward. The game ended 4-0 with the shots 44-17 for the Canada West champions.



When asked whose play stood out to him in the victory, Thomas was quick to credit leaders on the team for their work that didn't directly show up on the scoreboard.

"Joelle Fiala is just plain a warrior," praised the 12^th year UBC coach. "It's amazing to watch her play, she continues to grow and get better all the time. But I'd also pair that up with Rylind (MacKinnon). I thought she played a really safe, smart, offensive-defensive two-way game."

"Basically, our seniors carried us. That's a tough game for them to get up for, emotionally tough after Friday's result. I thought our seniors really stepped it up today, led by example, and showed how the Thunderbirds battle and compete."



UBC now has a chance to finish a third straight U SPORTS Championships with a winning record when they battle the rival Huskies. Puck drop for the T-Birds' last game of the 2023-24 season is at 9:00 a.m. (PT) at Merlis Belsher Place. Stream the game on the CBC Sports Youtube Channel or CBC Sports' other digital platforms.