CALGARY – A late third-period goal from rookie blueliner Isa MacPhee gave the Mount Royal Cougars (15-4-1) a 3-2 win over the UBC Thunderbirds (18-2) Saturday night at Flames Community Arena.

Trailing 2-1 after an Allee Gerrard power play goal at 5:53 of the third period, the T-Birds responded with Ashton Thorpe's second of the season less than a minute later.

But MacPhee picked the perfect moment for her first career Canada West goal at the 13:23 mark, eventually standing as the game winner as the T-Birds suffered just their second loss of the season while also snapping a five-game win streak.

Mya Lucifora got the start in goal for UBC and had to answer the bell early with a couple Jordyn Hutt shots from close range, the second-year T-Birds netminder making seven of her 15 saves in the opening period.

Following a scoreless first, the T-Birds got on the board at the 4:54 mark of the second when a wild scramble in front put the puck on the stick of Madisyn Wiebe, who potted her second of the season.

The Cougars had their best opportunity of the game just after a UBC powerplay expired. Ava Metzger was sprung on a breakaway and she got in behind the Thunderbirds' defence after exiting the box. Metzger was stopped by Lucifora on both her initial shot and a rebound chance to keep the visitors in front.

Mount Royal headed to a powerplay of their own late in the second and got their first goal of the weekend when Summer Fomradas' point shot was knocked down in front at a perfect spot for Jerzey Watteyne to whack in past the leg of Lucifora, evening the score at one.

After MRU took four penalties in the second period, it was UBC that was hammered by infractions early in the third.

Gerrard scored a nifty tip-in just as a two-man advantage expired to give the Cougars their first lead of the game, but less than a minute later Thorpe found the equalizer with a quick rip over the pad of Scout Anderson.

Mount Royal turned up the pressure late and got the decisive go-ahead goal with under seven minutes to play. MacPhee's point shot sifted through the UBC defence and past Lucifora.

With the net empty for the extra attacker the Thunderbirds pressed, seeking a path to overtime. After an MRU turnover, Ilona Markova was all alone in front of the Cougar net with just seconds left but Anderson stoned the Russian native point-blank just before the buzzer sounded to seal the victory for Mount Royal.

The T-Birds will have to be content with the season series split following the only weekend series against the Cougars.

UBC will battle yet another out-of-division opponent next weekend when they host the Calgary Dinos for the T-Birds' first home series of 2026.