VANCOUVER – It was a rare off night for the University of Calgary Dinos, suffering a 5-1 loss to top-ranked UBC Friday night from the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

Grace Elliott and Karine Sandilands both scored twice and Jaylyn Morris added a single to pace the UBC offence. Brooklyn Fry got the Dinos on the board with a power-play marker for the only Dinos goal, spoiling UBC goalie Elise Hugens' shutout bid. 

The loss drops Calgary to 13-5-3 on the year, while the Thunderbirds remain undefeated at 19-2.

UBC came out flying in the first period with a relentless forecheck peppering the Calgary goalie Amelia Awad with rubber. Awad's standout goaltending prevented the game from being a runaway for the Thunderbids early, as she made 16 saves in the opening frame. The only puck to get past her was a top cheese snipe by Sandilands on a two-on-one at the 11:50 mark, with Elliott driving to the net as a decoy.

UBC took the game over in the early goings of the second period, scoring three goals in 3:17. 

Sandilands got the party started with her second, slamming home a rebound from the net front at 2:25. Morris connected only 26 seconds later for UBC, with a seeing-eye wrist shot from the left point. Elliott converted again for UBC at 5:42, finishing off a sparkling apple from her line mate and Canada West assist leader Annalise Wong. 

With UBC leading 4-0 in the third period, Elliott counted again at 6:15, by intercepting an errant pass in front of the Calgary goal and ripping one into the top corner. It marked the 21st time in 21 Canada West games that Elliott has found the back of the net this season.  

Fry scored a power play goal in the third for Calgary on a wicked one-timer, while the Dinos were on a five-on-three advantage. Although the game was already well out of reach, at very least, the goal gave the Dinos some good vibes to sleep on before the teams play the second of their weekend double header, Saturday at 4 p.m. MT. 
 
-UC-