VANCOUVER – The Calgary Dinos marked their return to CIS women's hockey with a bang Friday night on the University of British Columbia campus, earning the program's first Canada West win since November 2001 with a 3-1 decision over the Thunderbirds.

BOX SCORE

The T-Birds controlled the tempo for much of the game on Friday, but the Dinos were able to capitalize on a pair of UBC mistakes.

Tanya Morgan scored Calgary's first CIS regular season goal since 2002, the last year the Dinos played in the Canada West before moving to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. Midway through the first, Rebecca Niehaus' pass hit a skate in the crease and UBC goalie Melinda Choy lost track of the puck amongst the scrum in front of the net. Morgan managed to corral the loose puck at the side of the net and bang it home before the T-Bird defence could recover.

“I think we got a little lucky on the first goal, but that gave us the momentum and we never really took our foot off the gas from there," said an enthused Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette. "We were able to put pressure on their defence and we threw the puck at the net. It was the kind of game that we're going to need to have if we're to be competitive this year."

Timid play cost the T-Birds another goal in the second period, as they were unable to clear the defensive zone during a series of Dino chances.

First Danielle Boyce rang a shot off the crossbar from the left circle, and Calaine Inglis was on waiting on the doorstep but Choy did well to get across the crease to make the save. Inglis was able to gather her own rebound however, and she took the puck around the back of the net and centered for Elana Lovell, who one-timed it past a helpless Choy.

The T-Birds continued to push hard for some offence but couldn't find their rhythm in the attacking zone. Neither team was able to register a shot in the third period until Tamara Pickford's wrap-around attempt was foiled by Dinos goalie Jessica Ross nearly ten minutes into the frame. That shot led to UBC's only tally of the night however, as Serina Swanson was there to poke the rebound home and bring her side within one.

The T-Birds couldn't muster any last-minute magic however, and Rebecca Niehaus picked up an empty-netter for Calgary on a shot from inside her own blue line.

UBC out-shot Calgary 18-15 and held the Dinos to just three shots in the final period.

“The girls were really nervous before the game, but I told them that was okay because it just shows that they really care," said Goyette. "We didn't really know what to expect, none of us had ever seen this team play before, and this just gives us more confidence going forward.

"The girls have been dreaming of returning to CIS, some of them, for four years now. I told them after the game to enjoy it tonight, because they've all worked too hard not to enjoy it. We'll never have this feeling again, winning our first game. So we'll enjoy it now, but it's back to work tomorrow to prepare for the next game."

The T-Birds and Dinos will wrap up their series on Saturday at Thunderbird Arena. The puck drops at 8:30 p.m. MT.

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