VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds (10-0) came out on top in a 3-2 shootout win against the University of Manitoba Bisons (1-5-1-3) Saturday afternoon at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. It was the leading scorer for UBC and Canada West, Grace Elliott (1G) with a game-tying goal in the third period that started the comeback for the 'Birds, while third-year forward Cassidy Rhodes finished it off in the shootout, recording the only goal of the 10 attempts. Second-year goaltender Mya Lucifora stopped 24 of the 26 shots she faced en route to her fifth win of the season.
 
"It was good for our group to face a little adversity, to get challenged, and to respond to it," said UBC Head Coach Graham Thomas following the comeback victory. "We were sloppy and inconsistent. We have to learn from this, to have a better week of preparation and not let it happen again. We found a way to get it done but it wasn't our best weekend."
 
The Bisons, who are routinely a tough test, had the No. 1 ranked U SPORTS team on the ropes in the third period, but a combination of depth, defense, and goaltending enabled the T-Birds to fight back and complete the weekend sweep.


 
After a tight-checking Friday contest, both teams were able to find more offense and opportunities in the second matchup as both Lucifora and Bisons' goalie Emily Shippam had their work cut out for them Saturday afternoon. UBC delivered the opening strike in the first period as a hard Meadow Carmen (1A) point shot ricocheted off the end boards and found the stick of Mia Bierd (1G) in front who slotted it past Shippam.
 
UBC would end up in some penalty trouble late in the first frame which gave the Bisons a 5-on-3 opportunity that they took full advantage of as the visitors leading scorer Aimee Patrick (1G) fired a hard shot off the left dot to beat Lucifora's glove with just 14 seconds left in the frame.
 
The Bisons dictated play in the second frame forcing the T-Birds to play their style of game. Manitoba outshot UBC 10-4 and captured the lone goal of the period on the powerplay as Bisons' captain Dana Goertzen (1G, 1A) gave her team the lead off of a perfectly executed tip play set up by first-year Sara Harbus (1A). It was tough sledding in the second for the high-flying Thunderbirds as the Bisons kept UBC neutralized in the offensive zone with lots of blocked shots and tipped passes.
 


UBC would not go down without a fight however as they responded in the third as senior standout Grace Elliott netted the game-tying goal on a solo rush on the powerplay, beating the blocker of Shippam and extending her goal streak to five-consecutive games.
 
"It was a great response with some individual efforts, some second efforts, and the team was better in the third period with a little bit more urgency," added Thomas.
 
It was the Bisons' fifth trip to overtime this season while it was the first extra period for UBC and both teams didn't relent after 60 minutes.  
 
"The 3-on-3 was fun with some crazy moments and crazy chances. You always like being on the right side of those games. You can reflect and enjoy it a little bit." Echoed Thomas after the chaotic overtime frame.


 
Neither team would be able to find the net in overtime and it took eight shooters to beat either goaltender until Cassidy Rhodes made a great deke and popped the water bottle behind Shippam.

"Yeah, I think it's been itching at her and bugging her a while now," concluded Thomas. "She's been sitting out a lot and she's a goal scorer so the longer that would have gone on it would have been tough for her, so it's good she got it done here."

UBC will get some home cooking this week and look to extend their streak as they face the visiting Grant MacEwan Griffins next weekend with game one on Friday November, 14th, at 7:00 p.m. PT and game two on November 15th, at 3:00 p.m. PT.