CALGARY - In their most important series of the season to date, the University of Calgary Dinos prevailed 3-2 over the University of Regina Cougars in a thrilling finish Friday night at the Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary.

 

Just as it seemed like the Dinos would escape with a 2-1 victory in regulation, the Cougars would somehow find an equalizer with just two seconds to go in the game. A late penalty by the Dinos with just 44 seconds to go would ultimately lead to the goal.  After a point shot by Tamara McVannel was stopped by Kelsey Roberts, Emma Waldenberger would box out her defender to tap in the equalizer for Regina.

 

This would push the game to overtime, where the Dinos would take yet another penalty just 90 seconds into the extra frame. However, the Dinos remained focus and resilient, bouncing back from allowing the game-tying powerplay goal to kill the penalty. The team began to generate momentum, culminating with Kate Lumley scoring the game-winning goal with just 18 seconds to go in overtime.

"Rachel [Paul] just did what we were supposed to do," explained Lumley on her game winner. "She took it deep when she did not really have an option, and I just went to the net… Somehow it got through the defenseman's skates and I just put it in."

 

Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette echoed Lumley's praise for Rachel Paul.

 

"Great play by Rachel Paul. One on four in the corner, and she had no option, no help… [But] she was able to protect the puck and find Kate Lumley in the slot."

 

As the Canada West regular season draws to a close in the coming week, three teams remain in the thick of the race for the final two playoff spots. Whereas four teams have already clinched their ticket to the postseason, Calgary, Regina, and the Mount Royal Cougars remain alive in postseason contention.

 

Heading into tonight, Calgary and Regina were tied in the standings with 23 points a piece, while Mount Royal had a comfortable four point lead over both clubs for fifth place. Thus, this win was paramount for the Dinos in their efforts to make playoff.

 

"It showed character that the players battled back in overtime," notes Goyette. "We are very happy with the way we reacted because it is not easy to be scored on with two seconds remaining. But we battled till the end and that is what I am proud of."

 

The first period saw the Dinos largely outworked by the Cougars. Relentless pressure by Regina saw them generate 16 shots in the first period, forcing Dinos star Kelsey Roberts to keep her team in the game. The Dinos were able to generate pressure later in the period, as Sage Desjardins and Crowchild Classic goal-scorer Cheyann Newman combined for the Dinos' best chance of the period.

The Dinos would start the second period on the wrong foot, being called for a delay of game penalty. However, the team battled hard and was able to kill off the early penalty. This hard work would pay off just fourteen seconds later, as Delaney Frey would score the game's first goal on a fantastic effort. After rushing into the Cougars zone, Frey would fire a shot on goal which would be kicked out by Morgan Baker. Rachel Paul would follow the play and fire the rebound at Baker who would make yet another save, before Frey capitalized on the third opportunity to put the Dinos ahead 1-0.

The Cougars would respond six minutes later as fifth year forward Kylee Kuuper would bring the puck into the Dinos zone and complete a full cycle around the net before firing a wrist shot past Kelsey Roberts. The remainder of the second period saw both teams generate chances, despite shots being 26-12 in favor of Regina after two periods.

 

Third year defender Diane Hitchings would start the third period with a bang, scoring her first career goal just two minutes into the third frame. Rookie Ireland South would attempt to clear the puck around the boards on the right wall, but an opportunistic Hitchings would get her stick in front of the clearing attempt to deflect the puck into the net.

"Honestly, I do not remember much of the play," explained Hitchings on her first career goal. "I remember calling for my linemate Rylee [Smith] to pass me the puck, and then I remember seeing it in the net."

 

Despite the victory, the Dinos recognize there is still room for improvement, as they were outshot 40-20.

 

"We cannot let them have shots," noted Hitchings when asked how her team can relieve pressure on goaltender Kelsey Roberts. "They had way too many shots, and we need to clear the rebounds. There were so many times today that there were big, juicy rebounds out there and we were not anywhere close. We just need to get in there before their player, get it out, break out, and score."
 
The Dinos and Cougars will face off once again tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. MT. A victory for the Dinos could all but clinch the final playoff spot, while a series split would push the drama into next weekend, the final week of the regular season.

 

-UC-