Box Score
THUNDERBIRDS SWEEP THE COUGARS AT HOME


Calgary â€" The Mount Royal Cougars (2-7-0) lost to the UBC Thunderbirds (6-2-1) tonight by a score of 4-2. Rachel Piitz and Kacy Smith scored for MRU.Stephanie Schaupmeyer, Nicole Saxvik (2), and Tatiana Rafter added goals for UBC.

Less than one minute into the first period, Tatiana Rafter used her speed to get by Mount Royal's defence  and forced Carley Bertram to take a hooking penalty. On the ensuing power play, Cylenna Alexander took another hooking penalty, and the Cougars were down two players. Just as Bertram's penalty expired, Kacy Smith fired a one-timer past Jess Ross for UBC's first goal of the game.

Soon after, Mount Royal responded with a goal of their own. Right off the face-off  Rachel Piitz lobbed the puck on net, and it squeaked through Danielle Lemon's five-hole. A few minutes later, Kacy Smith came up the middle, and sent a floater on net that some how found its way through Lemon's pads. That goal spelled the end of the game for Lemon as she let 2 goals in on 2 shots.

During the last half of the first, UBC pushed hard for the equalizer. Nicole Saxvik was able to strip Kat McDonald and go in on a breakaway, but Jess Ross c made a huge save to preserve the Cougars' 1 goal lead. With about 1 minute left in the first Ross again came up big again, making a sprawling pad save on a shot from UBC's Krista Wilson. Ross's strong play helped Mount Royal carry a one goal lead into the second.

Midway through the second, Tatiana Rafter came flying in on another breakaway, but was shut down by the glove of Shelby Ross. UBC did find the equalizer a few minutes later, when Nicole Saxvik tapped in a nice cross-ice pass from Hannah Heisler on the power play.
Later on in the second, Devon Morrison sent long stretch pass up to Rafter, sending her in on another breakaway. Using a combination of her strength and speed, Rafter battled around Mount Royal's defence, and roofed one glove side on Ross.

Mount Royal came out hard in the third, with 7 shots in the first ten minutes, but Danielle Dube made a number of big saves to keep the Thunderbirds ahead by one. Halfway through the period, UBC used the momentum created by Dube's strong play, and found a way to pin the Cougars in their own end. UBC's cycle pressure caused the Cougars to scramble, and Saxvik was able to bury her second of the game. Mount Royal pushed hard for a comeback, but couldn't find a way to solve Dube.

Mount Royal now holds a record of 2-8-0. The Thunderbirds are now 7-2-1.

Both teams will go on a bye week next week and return to game action in two weeks. UBC will return home where they will host Saskatchewan on Friday November 15. The Cougars will return to action the same evening as they will head up Crowchild Trail to face the University of Calgary.