The University of Manitoba women’s hockey team kicked off the 2024 season with a weekend series against the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first period, going head-to-head in both offence and defensive skating.
Molly Kunnas scored the first goal of the game for the herd 10 minutes in, putting the Bisons on the board.
The Thunderbirds hit back minutes later netting a goal, the 1-1 tie holding into the first intermission.
UBC came out charged up for the second period, both outskating and outscoring the herd.
The Thunderbirds scored four times in the second frame, with only one coming from a UBC power play, taking a dominant four-goal lead into the second intermission.
The U of M came back looking to do some damage control and managed to fend off UBC defensively in a scoreless third frame, but the Thunderbirds took the first game of the weekend 5-1.
Saturday’s game was meant to be a redemption arc for the herd, but ended in an overall weekend sweep for UBC.
The first period started off rough for the U of M. After allowing a goal minutes into the game, the herd gifted the Thunderbirds a power play with a bodycheck. UBC capitalized on the Bisons’ error, taking a 2-0 lead into the first break.
UBC in turn gave up a power play to the U of M at the start of the second period with a hit-to-the-head penalty. The herd capitalized with an Ashley Keller goal, cutting the Thunderbirds’ lead in half.
However, the U of M fell just short of a win. UBC scored a third goal in the final period of the game, and despite Sadie Keller netting a second goal for the herd late in the third, the Thunderbirds held on to sweep the weekend with a final score of 3-2.
Meanwhile, the men’s team started off the weekend series on home ice against UBC for the first game of the new year.
The first period of Friday’s game started off rough for the Bisons, with the Thunderbirds scoring twice right out of the gate, both goals within minutes of each other.
The Bisons had a more successful second period, with Tony Apetagon scoring the herd’s first goal early in the frame to cut UBC’s lead in half.
However, try as they might, the Bisons were unable to fend off the Thunderbirds in the third. UBC managed to slip in one more goal in the frame, winning the game 3-1.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first period of Saturday’s game, with neither managing to score against each other.
The second period ramped up for UBC, the Thunderbirds scoring a shorthanded goal and taking a 1-0 lead into the second intermission. The Thunderbirds took their intensity from the second and carried it into the third. While the U of M made it onto the board in the third with a goal scored right out of the gate by Noah Basarab, UBC scored two more times to complete the weekend sweep, defeating the herd for the second game in a row 3-1.
The men’s hockey team plays its next games against the Mount Royal University Cougars Jan. 12 and 13 in Calgary, while the women’s team hosts the Cougars at Wayne Fleming Arena.
