VANCOUVER – It was another fierce, tightly contested game Saturday afternoon at Father Bauer Arena, but it would be the UBC Thunderbirds' (26-2) depth that came to the rescue as a key goal from Hanna Perrier was the difference maker in a 2-1 T-Birds' win over the Alberta Pandas (10-9-7), a record-setting 26th regular season victory, both a program and Canada West record.

The finale of the Canada West campaign was everything a fan could ask for as Misty Rey took the net for Alberta and stood on her head to keep the Pandas close, while the conference's all-time winningest goaltender, Elise Hugens, recorded her 16th victory of the season to finish the year a perfect 16-0.

The first period was just as tight-checking of an affair as Friday night's game as scoring chances were few and far between. Both Alberta and UBC were able to earn powerplay opportunities toward the end of the opening frame, but neither were able to capitalize with the extra attacker.

A trademark of Pandas hockey is their defensive style of play and it proved evident in the second as the entire lineup stepped up in support of their goaltender, who turned aside several prime scoring opportunities to keep the game scoreless. Several Pandas clogged shooting lanes to sacrifice their bodies, blocking any glimmer of daylight that UBC saw on goal.

Both teams entered the final frame knotted at zero, but the third period was an entirely different story.

UBC was pushed to the brink after Jadynn Mordenn recorded the game's first goal early in the third. With the Pandas pressing, the T-Birds were tasked with overcoming a 1-0 deficit with time not on their side but Ashton Thorpe stepped up with the equalizer, sniping a wrist shot past Rey to tie the game.

Minutes later, Perrier emerged as the hero when she darted over the blueline and skated out wide before firing a perfect shot into the top corner to give UBC the lead.

Alberta had one last opportunity to tie the game late in the period after a Cassidy Rhodes penalty, but Hugens stood tall between the pipes to close out the victory.

With the win, UBC finishes the 2025-26 regular season with a program and conference record 52 points and a bye to the semifinals of the Canada West playoffs. The group will be hungry for more hardware as the T-Birds await their opponent to be determined based on the results of the conference quarterfinals.

The T-Birds will host the best-of-three Canada West semifinals starting Friday, February 27 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.