Posted: Oct 06, 2017
Max Sturley, Dinos Communications
CALGARY – On opening night for the 2017-18 season, the University of Calgary Dinos notched four goals from four different players in the third period, winning 4-1 over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, Friday night at the Father David Bauer Arena.
"We stayed with it. I thought the first period we controlled the play for the most part, we didn't give them a lot" said Dinos head coach, Mark Howell. "In the third, we got to the net a little bit better, got in front of them and made it hard."
Lethbridge opened the scoring early, as just 1:24 into the game, Pronghorns captain Mitchell Maxwell flipped the puck towards the goal and it took a wild deflection off a Dino skate before fluttering past the blocker of Calgary goaltender Matt Greenfield. Justin Valentino and Blake Orban drew assists on the play.
Following the goal, the Dinos were gifted a great opportunity to tie the game in the form of an extended 5-on-3 powerplay, but failed to convert. Dinos first year forward Matt Alfaro also had a goal waved off following the man advantage, as the Dinos remained scoreless in the first. Pronghorns goalkeeper Ty Edmonds made 17 saves through the first 20.
Following a scoreless second where both sides traded chances, the Dinos opened up the game in the third period. Rookie forward Chris Rauckman got the Dinos on the board, following a 3-on-2 rush: "It was great work by my two other forwards, Tim Vanstone and Mitch Cook, they brought it in the zone and I was the late guy on the 3-on-2 then he fed it to me up high and I found a spot", said Rauckman.
Seven minutes later, Calgary took the lead for good. A beautiful passing play down low was finished off by forward Coda Gordon, as Gordon played give-and-go with forward Cain Franson before burying the puck.
That goal would hold up as the winner, as the Dinos added two insurance markers, courtesy of defender Brayden Sherbinin and forward Chris Collins.
Greenfield stood tall for the Dinos, ending the game with 26 saves. "[Greenfield] played real sound and solid, controlled the puck, controlled his rebounds. He was strong, really good for us tonight" said Howell.
These two teams resume action tomorrow night, Saturday, 7 p.m. at the Nicolas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge. The game can be streamed live on Canadawest.tv
-UC-
Photo by David Moll