The UBC women’s hockey team took on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in Saskatoon this weekend, resulting in a split series. Both games went to overtime, with the Huskies winning Friday’s game 3–2 while the T-Birds took Saturday’s game 2–1.
Following last weekend’s clean sweep against the University of Manitoba Bisons, the T-Birds wasted no time in putting pressure on the Huskies. Friday night’s game opened with an intense first period and a clean wrist shot goal scored by forward Grace Elliott. Later in the first period, the Huskies took advantage of a power play to tie up the game, leaving the score at 1–1 heading into the second.
The tie held until late in the second period, when UBC’s Ireland Perrott tipped in a rebound from team captain Rylind MacKinnon, temporarily taking the lead. In the third, the Huskies renewed their energy on the offence. Defender Emily Holmes picked up one more goal for the Huskies to push the game forward into overtime. The Huskies ended the game in overtime with yet another power play goal, finalizing the score at 3–2.
During Saturday night’s game, the T-Birds dominated the first period, determined to end the weekend with a win. UBC forward Mackenzie Kordic initiated the scoring, netting her third goal of the season on a power play at the end of the first. The Huskies quickly retaliated at the beginning of the second when Sara Kendall’s slapshot hit the back of the net to make it 1–1.
Despite a series of penalties by UBC’s MacKinnon in the third, the T-Birds’s momentum carried them into overtime for the second night in a row. Chanreet Bassi scored the tiebreaker goal for UBC in the second overtime period, winning the game 2–1 and settling the T-Birds into second place in the Canada West standings.
Next up, the Thunderbirds will battle the MacEwan Griffins in Edmonton on October 28 at 6 p.m.