AIRDRIE, Alta. – The University of Calgary Dinos put together a solid offensive showing, peppering the University of Lethbridge net with 40 shots to earn a 6-1 win over the Pronghorns Saturday night at Ron Ebbesen Arena in Airdrie, Alta.
Six different players scored for the Dinos, who move into sole possession of first place in Canada West with their 3-0-1 record after sweeping the 'Horns 5-1 and 6-1 this weekend. Lethbridge falls to 0-4 with the loss.
Three goals in 3:32 midway through the first period broke open the game for Calgary. The first came courtesy Iya Gavrilova, who potted her fourth of the year at 11:02. Just under three minutes later, Hayley Wickenheiser tallied her first of the season, reunited on the Dinos' top line with Gavrilova and Jenna Smith to make it 2-0, and Jayme Clark added another just 33 seconds after that to give Calgary a 3-0 lead.
"I'm really happy with the game tonight, especially with the way we started," explained Calgary head coach Danielle Goyette. "We wanted to put a lot of pressure on them, and that put them on their heels. That allowed us to get more shots on net, and they had to take penalties because we were moving our feet. And our power play tonight did so well – with Jenna and Wick back in the lineup, we have more options and the two power play units are not the same."
Calgary took advantage of a parade to the penalty box by Lethbridge in the second period as the Pronghorns were whistled for six straight minors. Erika Mitschke tallied on the power play at 3:11 to make it 4-0, and Smith added another at 8:20 with the man-advantage as Calgary extended the lead to 5-0.
The Horns' lone goal of the night came at the 12:14 mark of the second as Jenae Culp stole the puck inside the Calgary zone and beat Dinos netminder Carissa Fischer for her first career goal, while Janelle Parent's third of the year midway through the third rounded out the scoring.
Lethbridge goaltender Crystal Patterson was peppered with 40 shots by the Dinos and was a key reason the score wasn't more lopsided than it ended up.
"They have a great goalie, and you know she'll stop every first shot," said Goyette. "We have to go in for the rebounds and outwork her there, and that's what we did and it paid off tonight."
Gavrilova and Smith each posted four-point nights with a goal and an assist, while Mitschke added two assists to her goal. Calgary finished the night 2-10 on the power play, while Lethbridge went 0-for-5 on the man advantage.
The Dinos head on the road for two straight weeks now, visiting first Regina, then Saskatchewan on consecutive weekends. Lethbridge, meanwhile, returns home to host the UBC Thunderbirds in a two-game set next weekend.
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