VANCOUVER – It's been an ideal start to the season for the Thunderbirds, who sport the best record in Canada West at 8-0-0. The competition in the West Division is tight, however, with the Trinity Western Spartans sitting just two points back (albeit having played two more games) at 7-3-0.
The T-Birds will try and keep piling up the points these next couple of weekends, as they play four in a row inside the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre after being on the road for five of their first eight games. First up are a pair of outings against the Manitoba Bisons on Friday, November 7, and Saturday, November 8.
UBC has had success against Manitoba in recent years, winning each of their last 13 meetings. The Bisons have started this season slow with just one win in their first eight games, but they've gone to overtime in four of them and all the way to a shootout in three, showing that they're very close to being able to string some results together.
On the side of the T-Birds, they've yet to go past 60 minutes in a game this season, in large part due to their stout defensive record. Goalies
Elise Hugens and
Mya Lucifora have each started four games and have been on point, with both netminders ranking in the top five in the conference in save percentage (.959 for Lucifora, .946 for Hugens) amongst goalies who have played in at least half of their team's games.
The UBC defence has also allowed the fewest shots on goal of any team in the conference, at just 130 in total (or a little over 16 per game). The T-Birds themselves average 36 shots per game, including a season-high 59 last Friday in their 4-0 win over Regina.
The second game against Regina on Saturday featured the first career hat trick for
Grace Elliott, with
Annalise Wong recording the primary assist on two of those goals. The duo of Elliott and Wong – both in their fifth and final years at UBC – has been dynamite so far this season.
Both forwards are in a tie for first in the conference in points (along with Trinity Western's Chloe Reid), with Elliott tallying eight goals and three assists, and Wong mirroring her at three goals and eight assists.
Jaylyn Morris and
Vanessa Schaefer are the next-highest point producers for the T-Birds through the first eight games, with both of them recording seven points.
Tickets to see the Thunderbirds in action are available
HERE. Puck drop on Friday is set for 7:00 p.m., with the rematch beginning at 2:00 p.m. (PT).
