VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds took a one-goal lead into the third period, but wound up on the wrong side of a 4-2 final against the Manitoba Bisons at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. The night was one of few recently in which the 'Birds had a full line-up, but penalties in the final frame sunk the scrappy squad in their second-to-last game of the season.
“I thought we were a little bit flat in the third period,” said UBC head coach Nancy Wilson. “We stopped skating and took penalties. We were trying to play them hard because Manitoba's a big team, and we did a good job through two periods.”
The first of those periods opened with a goal from
Kaitlin Imai, who notched a shorthanded marker after a heads up pass from
Ashley Henry that sent the sniper in alone on a breakaway.
After steady pressure to the net in the latter part of the first period, the Bisons got on the board to tie things up with 28 seconds left in the opening frame. Rachele Bosc jumped on a rebound, backhanding the puck past
Hillary Talbot.
Kelsey Halvorson put the T-Birds back up by one with a power play goal. She pounced on the rebound from
Emily Grainger's point shot, and roofed it in the top corner on the blocker side. That lead took the Blue and Gold into the final 20 minutes, but it was then that their luck would change.
In spite of the loss, the team is looking forward to closing out the year on home ice.
“We feel great. We're ready to play hard,” said Wilson. “Our team has never stopped playing hard. Everybody wants to beat Manitoba this weekend, so nobody's taking shifts off. Our team has had trouble playing with the lead this year, so that's an area we need to mature.”
Manitoba tied the game early in the third period on a power play. A picture perfect pass from Addie Miles allowed Meagan Vestby to use her quick hands to pop home the puck.
The Bisons were immediately back on the power play and less than two minutes later had taken the lead, again thanks to Miles. This time it was her shot from the point that squeezed through a crowd in front of the net and past
Melinda Choy, who had replaced Talbot at the game's midpoint.
It was Talbot's decision to play just half of the game, deferring to the veteran Choy in honour of her fellow goalie's final weekend in the CIS.
Manitoba held tight to their lead and put the game on ice with a wraparound goal by Bosc.
It was the penultimate game for five UBC graduating players. Captain
Ashley Henry is among those who will play the final game of her university hockey career on Saturday.
“It's pretty sad. We've been counting down the days 'til now and it's a really special weekend,” said Henry. “Nothing can bring us down now. We're excited to toss the torch on to the girls coming up. It's been a really good week and we're excited for tomorrow night as well.”
The veteran blueliner can't help but reminisce over the past five years a bit leading into tomorrow night's game.
“I've been thinking back about how things have changed, and we try to tell the girls to take it in and not get too stressed out with school because it will go by fast,” said Henry. “It doesn't seem like it at the time with the stresses of exams and hockey and all that. But it's going to be my last game tomorrow, and it's gone by really fast.”
Time flies. All good things must come to an end. No matter what the cliché, they all ring true for an emotional Henry.
“ I couldn't have asked for anything better,” said the Thunderbird captain. “We've got a great group of girls in there, and I'm really proud of them. I can't put into words how amazing the experience has been. So now I've got to turn the page. I've got a whole new life to look forward to… I guess.”
Kirsten Mihalcheon,
Lisa Bonang,
Alisha Choy,
Melinda Choy, and
Ashley Henry play their last CIS game against Manitoba at Doug Mitchell Arena on Saturday.
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