Cougars edged

Saturday, January 26, 2013 – Calgary, AB…Samantha Langford made 37 saves Saturday afternoon to backstop the University of British Columbia to a 4-1 win over the Mount Royal University Cougars in Canada West women's hockey.

Tatiana Rafters, Sarah Casorso, Rebecca Unrau and Haneet Parhar scored for UBC (13-7-4). Michelle Ziegler replied for Mount Royal (7-14-3) with her first goal of the season.

Gaining one point in the weekend series — the Thunderbirds won 2-1 in a shootout on Friday — wasn't what the Cougars needed as they try to claw their way into the one of six playoff spots. They were three points back of sixth-place University of Saskatchewan prior to the Huskies' game Saturday night against the University of Regina Cougars.

“We didn't get off to a good start today,” Cougars head coach Scott Rivett said.

“We weren't sharp and ready to go. Some mental mistakes are what killed us today. Unfortunately we don't come out of the weekend with what we needed.”

The Cougars got behind the eight ball right almost immediately. Carley Bertram's body checking penalty at 1:42 set up Rafters power play goal off a scramble. Jess Ross had no chance at keeping the puck out of the net, since she was on the ice and on the other side of the crease after making an initial stop.

Then, with a two-man advantage, Casorso's slapshot got through from the point and it was quickly a 2-0 game at 10:39.

The Cougars had their chances on the power play in the first too. Two opportunities couldn't produce anything and they were on the power play again when the period ended.

The Cougars finished the afternoon 0-for-7 on the power play. The Thunderbirds were 0-for-4.
British Columbia went up 4-0 in the second. Unrau was sent in on a breakaway from the blueline and scored on a deke at 13:11 and Parhar converted a nice pass into the crease from Emily O'Neil at 15:19.

Ziegler closed out the scoring at 10:17 of the third period when her shot from the point got in just under the crossbar.

Mount Royal had the edge in shots, 38-29.

“Their goaltender was really good today,” Rivett said.

“We had lots of chances and she made some big saves, even late in the game when we were pressing really hard; she made three or four big saves right in a row.”

The Cougars have a home-and-home with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Feb. 1-2. The opener of that series is in Lethbridge, followed by a 7 p.m. tilt at Flames Community Arenas the next night. UBC meanwhile travels east to face-off against the Manitoba Bisons