CALGARY – Riding a 39 save performance by Melinda Choy, the UBC Thunderbirds never let go of a first period lead on their way to beating the University of Calgary Dinos 3-2 Friday night at the Olympic Oval.

BOX SCORE

UBC got on the board first, finding the back of the net with their second shot just 2:15 into the game. That goal was the result of a drive into the Calgary slot by first-year UBC forward Lauren Ruggiero. Ruggiero's initial chance from in front of the net was turned away by a diving effort from Dinos netminder Amanda Tapp before forward Emily Grainger put away the rebound.

After the game, Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette wasn't too pleased with the start. “UBC came out strong and we weren't ready physically or mentally to match their intensity,” she said. “In the first period we got three power plays and we didn't capitalize, that's when the players started panicking a little bit.”

Trying to make up for the lackluster start, the Dinos came out in the second with much more intensity. That intensity would be met with disappointment as UBC converted first at 11:15. That goal was the result of a shot from a scrum that broke out in front of the Calgary net. The shot was taken by Tamara Pickford while Lisa Bonang and Alisha Choy notched assists on the marker that gave the T-Birds a 2-0 lead.

The Dinos responded immediately, converting 23 seconds later off the next faceoff. That goal was the result of Hayley Wickenheiser driving towards the net before offloading to rookie forward Jenna Smith in the slot, who pocketed her first CIS goal.

The Dinos followed that effort with a breakaway by Elana Lovell on the next play that saw Lovell ring one off the crossbar, inches short of tying the game.

The flurry of activity in the middle of the second would continue into the twelfth minute when UBC earned a 3-1 lead, 12:55 in. That goal was the result of Wickenheiser getting caught up with the official when trying to break out of the zone. As they both went to the ice the puck spewed free causing a two-on-one chance for UBC forwards Chelsea Laing and Kaitlin Imai. Imai took the initial shot that rocketed straight down off the crossbar before being stuffed in the net by Laing.

After the goal Wickenheiser received a 10 minute misconduct penalty for arguing with the official about the outcome of the entanglement with the lineman.

The third period saw much of the same intensity from the Dinos and much of the same skill from Choy. The only blemish on the T-Bird 'minder's record for that frame came after Wickenheiser came out of the  box and began terrorizing UBC's forwards. Wickenheiser set up the Dinos' second goal at 16:04 in the third while on the power play by ripping a shot from the point that bounced off the boards behind te net before being stuffed in by Dinos captain Cait O'Hara. Despite a final, desperate push, the Dinos couldn't solve Choy, resulting in a 3-2 loss in their first game of the weekend.

“It isn't that we didn't shoot on their goalie enough,” Goyette noted after he loss, ”but at the same time we need to be in the slot and outwork the goalie, it seemed like we played on the outside to try and make something happen.

”Tomorrow we have to be prepared and start playing hard in the first period and not wait for the second and third.”

The Dinos power play had a minimally productive outing, capitalizing on one out of eight opportunities while the T-Birds failed to capitalize on either of their man-advantages. In net, Amanda Tapp scraped together 16 saves on the 19 shots fired her way while Melinda Choy stumped the Dinos on 39 of 41 chances.

The Dinos get another swing at the 'Birds tomorrow night as the two teams will meet again on the Olympic Oval ice with a 7:30 p.m. puck-drop.

-UC-