CIS women's hockey Tuesday roundup: OT winner gives Dinos seventh straight win

Photo credit Dave Holland

CALGARY – Hayley Wickenheiser's shorthanded, unassisted, game-winning goal 49 seconds into overtime lifted the University of Calgary Dinos to their seventh straight victory with a 2-1 triumph over the Lethbridge Pronghorns Tuesday night in Canada West women's hockey action.

The game was decided 49 seconds into OT while four on three, with the Dinos shorthanded due to a third period hooking penalty against Jenna Smith. After the Dinos weathered the opening attack from the 'Horns thanks to the reliable goaltending of Amanda Tapp, Wickenheiser managed to strip the puck from the Lethbridge attack. Following the turnover, Wickenheiser dashed between the two white-shirts in front of her and drove for the other end with a single defender covering her. The defender managed to drive her wide but couldn't get the puck off her stick in time to prevent her from getting to the side of the net and stuffing the OT game-winner home five-hole.

"It wasn't a pretty win tonight," Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette commented after the win. "I think that the effort was there tonight but nothing was working. Usually you have one or two lines working well but tonight 20 players were on the ice and nothing was going right for us, we are thankful we have a goalie who can make the saves we need at the right times or else we would have been in trouble."

Both goaltenders were instrumental in keeping the game close with Dinos backstop Tapp saving 14 of 15 pucks flung her way. Lethbridge goalie Crystal Patterson saw a significantly larger amount of rubber as she turned away 32 of 34 shots on the night to keep her club in the game.

The power play was a huge part of both team's games with the Dinos converting on one of four man-advantages and Lethbridge finding the back of the net on one of seven power plays.

The only 'Horn to get past Tapp was Shelby Ballendine, Lethbridge's leading scorer, with a first period power play effort 7:20 into the game. The goal, Ballendine's tenth of the year, was scored after a number of shots towards the Calgary net were blocked by legs and skates before the puck ended up on Ballendine's stick in front of the crease. Ballendine slipped the puck past Tapp to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead with assists from Megan Bailey and Katie Mucha.

The game would be tied going to the first intermission after Kira Sonnenberg notched her second goal in as many games with less than seven minutes left on the clock, a power play marker at 13:13. That chance was set up when Wickenheiser drove to the front of the net and was stopped by the sprawling leg of Patterson and then the post. Retaining the puck, Wickenheiser whipped around to the other side of the net and slid the puck in front of the Lethbridge net and onto the waiting stick of Sonnenberg who made no mistake finding the back of the net. Elana Lovell also drew an assist on the goal for her 20th point this season.

Neither team will have much time to rest as they both host games on Friday night. The 'Horns can look forward to a pair of games against the Manitoba Bisons as Lethbridge looks to snap a five game losing skid. The Dinos will spend the rest of their week preparing for their rivals from the provincial capital, the Alberta Pandas, as they try to extend their seven-game win streak in a battle for first place in the Canada West standings.

The series opens Friday night at the Olympic Oval with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop before concluding Saturday night at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton.

Source: Calgary Dinos