REGINA – The No. 1 nationally-ranked T-Birds improved to an impressive 8-0 to begin the Canada West season, as they took down the Regina Cougars for the second time in as many days.
 
Grace Elliott was the star of the show, as she netted all three of UBC's goals. The first came just a minute into the game, as she took a nice feed from Annalise Wong in the slot and fired it past Regina goalie Amy Swayze.
 
Wong again played provider late in the opening period, leading a 3v1 rush that culminated in a cross-ice feed and a sweet deke from Elliott to score on the backhand. The T-Birds racked up 18 shots on goal in the first in all, in a thoroughly dominant period.


 
The Cougars did get one back in the second, as Makena Kushniruk scored her second of the season with less than three minutes to go in the period. That set up a bit of a nervy finish, but with home team's net empty late in the third, it was the visitors who scored the all-important goal to finish things off.
 
Again, it was Elliott, who got the puck after Vanessa Schaefer made a great play along the boards to steal it from a Cougars skater. It's the White Rock native's first career hat trick, as she continues her fantastic start to the campaign with eight goals and three assists in eight games.
 
The T-Birds will now get ready to play their next four games at home, first with a pair against the Manitoba Bisons on Friday, November 7, and Saturday, November 8, inside the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.