The University of Regina women's hockey team was defeated 4-1 by the No. 1-ranked UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver on Friday night.

The Thunderbirds were able to blow the game open in the second period, as Regina was assessed six minor penalties while UBC was flagged for none. Haneet Parhar opened the scoring at the 13:46 mark and Nicole Saxvik scored what would eventually be the game-winner three and a half minutes later.

Celine Tardiff stretched the lead to 3-0 for the home team before Regina got on the board thanks to Kylie Gavelin's fourth of the season. The Cougars had nearly two minutes of five-on-three advantage in the third period but were unable to beat Amelia Boughn for a second time.

Kathleen Cahoon scored her sixth of the season into an empty net with just six seconds to play, inflating the UBC margin to three.

Jane Kish made 20 saves in net for the Cougars, who drop to 5-5-1-0 but remain in fourth place in Canada West after the loss. Boughn stopped 25 shots at the other end of the rink, as Gavelin and Emma Waldenberger were each responsible for five.

The Cougars and Thunderbirds will square off again on Saturday afternoon, with a 4 p.m. local-time puck drop.