WHKY: Cougars strike first in Canada West Final

VANCOUVER - The Mount Royal Cougars are just one win away from claiming their first Canada West title after a 1-0 game one win over the host UBC Thunderbirds Friday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

Breanne Trotter scored the game's only goal midway through the third period on the power play while Cougars goaltender Kaitlyn Ross made 38 saves for her third shutout of the playoffs.

"It's a high scoring, skilled team and we knew if we were going to be in it this weekend we were going to have to try and kind of grind it out defensively a little bit and keep it a low scoring affair," said Mount Royal head coach Scott Rivett. "Our penalty killers did a good job committing and sacrificing. The amount of shots we blocked and lanes we got in last minute or a stick here or stick there made all the difference in the world. And when they did get a couple really good looks, Ross made a couple of really big saves there."

Despite outshooting the Cougars by an 11-2 margin along with three power play chances in the first period, the T-Birds were held off the board, thanks in large part to Ross who held her team in the game in the early going despite the ice being titled.

Still scoreless after 40 minutes, the game wasn't without its chances from both sides with the T-Birds denied twice in the dying seconds of the second period, first on a Rylind MacKinnon shot from in tight that grazed the post, followed moments later by a Grace Elliott deflection that was stopped by Ross. Earlier in the frame Elise Hugens had to be sharp herself, denying an Emma Bergesen attempt followed by another save on the rebound.

The Cougars finally broke the deadlock just shy of the six minute mark of the third period on their fourth power play of the game when Trotter slid the puck past Hugens for her second of the playoffs. Emma Bergesen sent the puck toward the net from the top of the right circle. Trotter took it just outside the blue paint, got it to her forehand and had plenty of space past Hugen's left pad.

UBC continued to press the rest of the way, as they had done the entire game, but simply couldn't solve Ross.

"We're happy we're generating the chances we're getting, I think we're all just a little frustrated we're not burying our chances," said UBC head coach Graham Thomas. "I think that's something as a whole collective group we have to focus on the execution because the chances are there, the plays are there, the possession time is there, all those things that lead to offensive chances. Give credit to their goalie, she played incredible so that's a factor too of course, but we're just gripping the sticks a little too much."

Friday night marked the third straight series these playoffs the Cougars have won by way of a shutout. The T-Birds are hoping history repeats itself for game two Saturday as each of MRU's previous two series have ended up going the distance.

"The group's confident and motivated and ready to go tomorrow," added Thomas. "We're confident we're going to bring our A game tomorrow."

The defending Canada West champion T-Birds will now need another bounce back effort similar to last weekend's semifinal clincher against Saskatchewan. They'll have that chance when the puck drops for game two of the Canada West Final Saturday at 7:00 p.m. PT at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.