EDMONTON - Although the University of Calgary Dinos cut their deficit in half midway through the third period to make the game close, the University of Alberta Golden Bears were still victorious at Clare Drake Arena on Saturday night, coming away with a 4-2 win in the first game of a home-and-home series.
BOX SCORE
The victory has Alberta improve its record to 12-2-1 to tie the Saskatchewan Huskies (12-5-1 after losing to Manitoba this evening) for first-place in Canada West, while Alberta still has three games in hand. Calgary's record falls to 6-10-1, placing them sixth in the conference.
6'1” forward Eric Hunter struck first when, 2:04 into the first period, Bears' teammate Greg Gardner threw a puck into the Saskatchewan slot that missed its intended receiver but found its way to Hunter who put a backhander through the five-hole of Calgary goalie Dustin Butler.
The goal differential would remain at one until twelve minutes into the second period when a marvellous three-way passing play, involving long yet quick and sharp cross-ice passes, started with Chad Klassen, continued to Kyle Fecho, and ended with Derek Ryan one-timing a wristshot to increase the score to 2-0.
A shot by former Portland Winter Hawk Brian Woolger rang off the Calgary post three minutes later to keep the Dinos within striking distance of the #1-ranked Bears.
Ryan diminished the comeback hopes early in the third, however, when the former Kalmazoo Wing knocked home his own rebound 26 seconds into the third period. Veteran Alberta forward Ben Kilgour further decreased the chances at the 4:00 mark when he scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season off a screened slapshot from the faceoff dot.
The Bears had all but put the game to bed, but a late slip-up allowed Calgary a 3-on-1 shorthanded break. Former Kamloops Blazer Reid Jorgensen put a nice shot into the back of the net to ruin Alberta netminder Aaron Sorochan's shutout.
Another special teams goal, this time on their own power-play, brought the Calgary Dinos their second tally of the night when defenseman Travis Friedley circled behind the net and passed the puck out to Torrie Wheat for an easy tap-in. The goal puts Wheat in a four-way tie for the Canada West lead in goals, sharing the honour with teammate Brett O'Malley, Lethbridge's Steve Zmudczynski, and Saskatchewan rookie Steven DaSilva.
The Bears defence returned to form for the rest of the night to stymie a full comeback.
The Bears and Dinos will head to Calgary for the rematch tomorrow evening at Father David Bauer Arena. Game time is 7 p.m.
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