Posted: Feb 10, 2018
Arron Lai, Dinos Communications
CALGARY – After clinching their ninth consecutive playoff berth with last nights win, the University of Calgary Dinos once again defeated the Manitoba Bisons to wrap up Canada West regular season action.
Two goals a piece from both Chris Collins and Logan Fisher, as well as an efficient power play (two goals on four tries), proved to be the difference in the Dinos' weekend sweep of the Bisons.
Prior to their series with Calgary, Manitoba was riding a five game win streak with sweeps of Lethbridge and Regina.
Dinos head coach Mark Howell was very pleased with his teams performances this weekend.
Two goals a piece from both Chris Collins and Logan Fisher, as well as an efficient power play (two goals on four tries), proved to be the difference in the Dinos' weekend sweep of the Bisons.
Prior to their series with Calgary, Manitoba was riding a five game win streak with sweeps of Lethbridge and Regina.
Dinos head coach Mark Howell was very pleased with his teams performances this weekend.
"I liked us this weekend. We were really good and lots of leaders stepped up. We played fast, heavy, smart, responsible. Overall, a really good weekend."
The victory for the Dinos marks their sixth straight win, which has also pushed them into fifth place in the Canada West standings. Depending on the outcome of the Mount Royal Cougars' game against the Saskatchewan Huskies, the Dinos will finish in either fifth or sixth place.
"After last night, I said this is how I envisioned our team playing," said Howell on his teams strong finish to the season. "Just four really deep lines. Hard to play against - heavy."
The Dinos started the game with the same pace and pressure that helped them secure a 5-1 victory in last night's series opener. With a strong forecheck and backcheck, the Dinos held the Bisons without a shot in the opening seven minutes of the game, before being called for a boarding penalty.
Shortly after killing off the penalty, the Dinos scored the first goal of the game thanks to a strong forecheck by Robbie Fisher and Coda Gordon. In a battle behind the net, Robbie Fisher poked the puck free to Gordon, who made a perfect backhand pass to find Logan Fisher all alone in front of Bisons goalie Dasan Sydora.
Just as they did to start the game, the Dinos allowed the Bisons back into the matchup after taking a penalty. 20 seconds into the man advantage, Bisons leading scorer Michael St. Croix recorded his team high 35th point on a perfectly placed snapshot.
The second period opened opposite the first, as the Bisons established a heavy forecheck to open the second frame. This momentum was halted after Manitoba was called for a penalty. Opportunistic as ever, Collins recorded his team high 28th point on his 11th goal of the season.
Continuing to stake his claim as one of the premier scorers in Canada West, Collins would add his second of the afternoon midway through the second frame. A heads up Riley Sheen would block a Manitoba shot right in front of Greenfield, before firing a lead pass to a streaking Cain Franson. With Collins trailing on the wing, Franson would feather a perfect pass to his teammate who made no mistake in putting the Dinos ahead 3-1.
The Dinos would capitalize once again on an undisciplined Bisons squad, as Logan Fisher would score his second of the night, and the Dinos' second powerplay goal, with under three minutes to play in period two.
The third period would see the Dinos put the finishing touches on yet another dominant performance against a team they could likely face in the first round of the Canada West playoffs.
Prior to the game, the Dinos honored their five graduating players, Brayden Sherbinin, Collins, assistant captains Drydn Dow and Adam Kambeitz, as well as captain Dan Gibb.
"They are all really good human beings," notes Howell on his graduating seniors. "That is the most important part. [Brayden] Sherbinin has been here two years and [Collins, Dow, Gibb, and Kambeitz] have been with me for five. It is always hard to see those guys go, as they are just really good human beings. They became really important leaders and they are important to our team in so many different ways. They are tremendous people."
The University of Calgary Dinos will next look ahead to the first round of the playoffs, where they will face either these same Manitoba Bisons, or the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a best-of-three, Canada West quarterfinal series.
The Bisons will face off against either the Dinos or the Mount Royal Cougars.
The victory for the Dinos marks their sixth straight win, which has also pushed them into fifth place in the Canada West standings. Depending on the outcome of the Mount Royal Cougars' game against the Saskatchewan Huskies, the Dinos will finish in either fifth or sixth place.
"After last night, I said this is how I envisioned our team playing," said Howell on his teams strong finish to the season. "Just four really deep lines. Hard to play against - heavy."
The Dinos started the game with the same pace and pressure that helped them secure a 5-1 victory in last night's series opener. With a strong forecheck and backcheck, the Dinos held the Bisons without a shot in the opening seven minutes of the game, before being called for a boarding penalty.
Shortly after killing off the penalty, the Dinos scored the first goal of the game thanks to a strong forecheck by Robbie Fisher and Coda Gordon. In a battle behind the net, Robbie Fisher poked the puck free to Gordon, who made a perfect backhand pass to find Logan Fisher all alone in front of Bisons goalie Dasan Sydora.
Just as they did to start the game, the Dinos allowed the Bisons back into the matchup after taking a penalty. 20 seconds into the man advantage, Bisons leading scorer Michael St. Croix recorded his team high 35th point on a perfectly placed snapshot.
The second period opened opposite the first, as the Bisons established a heavy forecheck to open the second frame. This momentum was halted after Manitoba was called for a penalty. Opportunistic as ever, Collins recorded his team high 28th point on his 11th goal of the season.
Continuing to stake his claim as one of the premier scorers in Canada West, Collins would add his second of the afternoon midway through the second frame. A heads up Riley Sheen would block a Manitoba shot right in front of Greenfield, before firing a lead pass to a streaking Cain Franson. With Collins trailing on the wing, Franson would feather a perfect pass to his teammate who made no mistake in putting the Dinos ahead 3-1.
The Dinos would capitalize once again on an undisciplined Bisons squad, as Logan Fisher would score his second of the night, and the Dinos' second powerplay goal, with under three minutes to play in period two.
The third period would see the Dinos put the finishing touches on yet another dominant performance against a team they could likely face in the first round of the Canada West playoffs.
Prior to the game, the Dinos honored their five graduating players, Brayden Sherbinin, Collins, assistant captains Drydn Dow and Adam Kambeitz, as well as captain Dan Gibb.
"They are all really good human beings," notes Howell on his graduating seniors. "That is the most important part. [Brayden] Sherbinin has been here two years and [Collins, Dow, Gibb, and Kambeitz] have been with me for five. It is always hard to see those guys go, as they are just really good human beings. They became really important leaders and they are important to our team in so many different ways. They are tremendous people."
The University of Calgary Dinos will next look ahead to the first round of the playoffs, where they will face either these same Manitoba Bisons, or the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a best-of-three, Canada West quarterfinal series.
The Bisons will face off against either the Dinos or the Mount Royal Cougars.