LANGLEY, B.C. – The T-Birds jumped out in front early and didn't look back from there, as they defeated Trinity Western 3-1 at the Langley Events Centre on Friday night.
Mya Lucifora backstopped the win, saving 20 of the 21 shots she faced. The victory helps the T-Birds continue to build momentum ahead of their Saturday afternoon home opener against these same Spartans.
In this one, it took less than a minute for UBC to get on the board. Left with all kinds of time to line herself up at the point,
Jaylyn Morris unleashed a seeing-eye wrister that found its way perfectly through to the top corner, marking the first point of the season for a T-Birds defenceman.
Grace Elliott made it two before the period was out, jumping at the opportunity to rush through the centre of the ice as soon as
Annalise Wong controlled the puck with some time and space in the defensive zone. Wong hit her well with the pass, and Elliott calmly slid the puck through the legs of the goalie on the breakaway.
The Spartans did get one back on the power play late in the second, but that return to a single-goal deficit lasted a total of 29 seconds before
Karine Sandilands restored order. After leading the charge from her own zone to all the way across the TWU blueline, the fifth-year forward left the puck for
Olivia Buckley who flipped it towards goal. Sandilands then deflected it in the air and into the net for her first of the year.
Now sporting a 3-0 record and a +5 goal differential, the Thunderbirds will want to keep the good times rolling when they play on the UBC campus for the first time tomorrow. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. (PT) at Father David Bauer Arena.
