Max Sturley, Dinos Communications
CALGARY – In anticipation of the seventh annual Crowchild Classic, the University of Calgary Dinos took care of business on home turf, besting the Mount Royal University Cougars 2-1 in overtime, Friday evening at the Father David Bauer Arena.
After a slow start in this contest, both teams started creating chances halfway through the period.
Defender Darcie Setzer fired a wrist shot from the left point that was kicked out by Cougars netminder Zoe DeBeauville right to Chelsea Court, but she was unable to hammer the puck home. Mount Royal followed suit with a dominant opening power play, highlighted by two chances from Anna Purschke, both denied by Kelsey Roberts.
The Cougars outshot the Dinos 11-7 through 20, as the tilt remained scoreless.
Mount Royal's Megan Carver found the best early chance of the second, firing a wrist shot off the rush that Roberts denied. The Cougars continued their pressure with another power play six minutes into the period.
Andrea Sanderson had the Cougars best chance following a big scramble in front of Roberts. Sanderson found the loose puck in the high slot before shifting to the left to find an open lane. Through traffic, Roberts stood tall again, taking away the Cougars best chance of the period.
Just past the nine minute mark, the Dinos broke the deadlock. Holly Reuther following a blocked shot, picked up her own rebound and ragged the puck around the right circle. Reuther then fed Priya Sidhu who fired a one-timer out of the air, making it 1-0.
"I picked it up in the corner and I was looking at the point but it was covered so I walked the seam and saw Priya back door," said Reuther on her second apple of the season.
"Luckily she got it off quick and it went in the back of the net."
In the third, the Cougars tilted the ice and created a ton of chances from the outset. The Cougars best chance to tie the game came from Nicolette Seper, as she went end-to-end and beat Roberts over the left shoulder, but couldn't get the puck past the post as the Dinos continued to hang on to the one goal lead.
Five minutes later, Kelsey Roberts kept her shutout intact denying Purschke with the mask after a quality look from the slot.
The consistent third period pressure coupled with the extra attacker finally gave the Cougars the game-tying-goal. With less than a minute to go, Mackenzie Butz from the right point found a lane through everybody including Roberts, tying the game at 1-1.
Overtime was needed to solve this contest, and after killing off a Diane Hitchings penalty, the Dinos won the game in overtime.
Delaney Frey on a 2-on-2 rush skated into the middle of the ice before launching a wrister at DeBeauville. DeBeauville missed the puck with her glove, giving the Dinos the winner.
"The consistency point-wise and being able to finish lately has been boosting my confidence," said Frey after the win.
"Taking that late penalty in overtime; I think killing it off brought up some energy on our team that we were lacking all game so it was nice to bury it."
The Dinos despite getting outshot 36-13, snuck away with their second win in three tries against Mount Royal this season.
Next up these teams will faceoff at the Scotiabank Saddledome, for the seventh installment of the Crowchild Classic. Puck drop goes on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m.
-UC-