EDMONTON - UBC's special-teams efficiency and a balanced effort from its top contributors powered the Thunderbirds to a decisive 5–1 road win over Alberta on Friday night.

Olivia Buckley led all scorers with two goals, while Jaylyn Morris, Vanessa Schaefer, and Karine Sandilands added goals themselves as UBC took control through the second period and never looked back. Grace Elliott and Cassidy Rhodes each recorded two assists, with goaltender Elise Hugens stopping 15 shots in a complete-game victory.

Raegan Yewdall scored the lone Pandas goal late in the third to end the UBC shutout bid. UBC finished the game with a 29-16 shot advantage, winning their third game over the Pandas this season. UBC, the No. 1 team in U SPORTS, improves to 13-0-0, while Alberta falls to 3-6-4. 

Buckley's two-goal performance set the tone during a dominant run of UBC power plays, where the Thunderbirds struck four times. Morris opened the scoring at 2:19 of the second period, converting on the advantage from Elliott. Less than two minutes later, Buckley notched her first of the night on another power play, assisted by Rhodes and Ashton Thorpe. Buckley added her second at 13:54, again on the power play, finishing a setup from Rhodes and Jacquelyn Fleming.

UBC continued to generate momentum beyond its special-teams play. At 15:19, Schaefer extended the lead to 4–0, finishing a sequence involving Elliott and Annalise Wong. The goal capped a second period in which Alberta struggled to contain UBC's zone pressure and failed to capitalize on three power-play opportunities of its own.

The Thunderbirds added their fifth goal early in the third period when Sandilands struck on the power play at 6:23, assisted by Hanna Perrier. UBC controlled most of the period's early possession despite trading penalties with Alberta, and their fifth marker all but secured the result.

Alberta broke the shutout in the final minute when Yewdall unassisted. It was Alberta's lone goal on a night where the team went 0-for-6 on the power play and generated 16 shots.

The rematch is set for 5:00 p.m. tomorrow night at Clare Drake Arena.