January 4 - Megan Ross scored a natural hat trick as the University of Manitoba Bisons started 2008 with a 4-0 shut out victory over the University of B.C. Thunderbirds.

The No. 4-ranked Bisons scored all four goals on the powerplay, improving their record to 12-2-1. The win gives the Herd at least a tie for top spot in the Canada West standing with No. 2-ranked University of Alberta. With the loss, the T-Birds drop to 5-9-1, and remain in fifth place.

"What I liked about today is that we stuck with the game plan and never really wavered," said Bisons head coach Jon Rempel. "Our special teams were great. Our powerplay hasn't clicked like that in a long time and I think that was a carry over from this week in practice and a little bit from our tournament in Toronto." Manitoba won the University of Toronto Invitational hockey tournament over the holiday break.

Ross was excited to get her first CIS hat trick in only her second season with the Bisons, doubling her season goal total in one night.

"I have like fifty shots," said Ross. "I thought I was getting robbed and just not shooting for the right places so this time I got one to get one. Got one to get another. And it just kind of flowed."

In addition to Ross' three powerplay markers, Chantal Larocque added three assists. Tammy Brade rounded out the scoring for the Bisons. Stacey Corfield stopped 11 shots on way to her second shut out of the season. Melinda Choy made 30 saves in the losing effort for UBC.

In their previous two meetings this season, the Bisons swept the T-Birds on the road. Back on October 26 and 27 in Vancouver, Manitoba downed UBC 4-2 and 2-0.

The first goal didn't come until 3:59 into the second period with Manitoba on the powerplay. Brade's second goal of the season to made the score 1-0. The ply was created when Addie Miles, playing the right point, just managed to keep the puck from going out of the zone and spun away from a checking T-Bird. She passed the puck to Chantal Larocque down low, who quickly fed it to Brade in front. Brade poked it through the five-hole of UBC netminder Melinda Choy for the opening score.

Manitoba nearly scored another goal on a delayed penalty call. Choy was able to partially stop a Bison shot from the low corner and a quick whistle prevented a goal as the loose puck was swatted into the empty net. Nevertheless, Ross made it 2-0 on the ensuing powerplay. On a similar play to the Herd's first goal, Larocque threaded a cross-ice pass from the left point to Amanda Schnell in the right corner. Schnell's shot on goal bounced off Ross as she drove to the net. Ross was credited with her third goal of the year to make the score 2-0 at 17:33.

Ross added her second powerplay marker to start the third. Again the goal was set-up from Manitoba's point. Miles' point shot made it through a crowd in front of Choy. She was able to make the first save, but Ross, who was already screening Choy, slapped in the rebound with her backhand. Ross' second of the game put the Bisons up 3-0 at 5:57.

Finally, Ross completed the hat trick with a slapshot from the left point, beating Choy high on her glove hand. Ross' third of the night, and fifth of the season came at 13:23.

Manitoba and UBC will play game two of their weekend series, Saturday at the Max Bell Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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