LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Heading into the final two weekends of the regular season, the Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team needed a single victory to ensure a spot in the post season. After playing a lackluster game Friday night, the Horns rebounded Saturday with a solid 60 minute performance in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Dinos.
With the weekend split, the Dinos sit tied for the sixth and final playoff spot with the UBC Thunderbirds and can clinch that spot with one win in the teams' season-ending series at Father David Bauer Arena next weekend.
Holding the tie breakers with the Regina Cougars, the Horns cannot finish any lower than fourth place, and will host one of the two Canada West semi-final series that start March 6th.
With five first period goals, it look as if the crowd would be entertained with an old-fashioned shootout. As the game wore on however, the defensive play picked up with only two additional goals being scored, both in the second frame.
After going scoreless the previous night, the Horns power play caught fire, scoring four of their five goals with the extra man, while their penalty killing had a perfect night, shutting down all 9 of the Dinos power play opportunities.
Off the first extra man opportunity of the game, Tyler Feakes (Spruce Grove, AB, 2nd) gave the Horns a much needed opening goal, collecting a loose puck off a goal mouth scramble and sliding the puck through Dinos goaltender Jeff Weber's (Ottawa, ON, 4th) legs.
Unlike Friday, the Horns were able to extend their lead while on the power play. Ryan Pottruff's (Woodstock, ON, 2nd) blast from the point was redirected past Weber by senior Tyler Stella (Blairmore, AB, 5th).
The 2-0 lead did not last long for the Horns, as senior Adam Redmond (Edmonton, AB, 5th) tallied up his first goal of the season, picking up a rebound and beating Horns keeper Scott Bowles (Penticton, BC, 2nd) glove side.
While shorthanded, Brock Nixon (Russell, MB, 1st) tied the game by stealing the puck just outside the Horns blue line and breaking in on a partial breakaway, beating Bowles glove side. On the same power play, Pottruff regained the Horns one goal lead and rounded out the scoring in the opening period, only 24 seconds after Nixon tied the score. The Horns held a distinct advantage on the shot clock in the first period, outshooting the Dinos 15-7.
Following the wild first period, the play settled into a more defensive grind, with the teams combining for only 12 shots on goal, but the Horns were able to extend their lead on a bizarre power play goal. Defenceman Paul MacDonald (Calgary, AB, 1st) went to dump the puck in, but his slapper ricocheted off Dustin Moore (Red Deer, AB, 2nd) and found the far corner after Weber had vacated the net to stop the rim.
Curtis Cooper (Kamloops, BC, 2nd) completed the scoring, jumping into a rush and converting a two-on-one break with Moore while the team were playing four aside.
While the Dinos pressed in the third, including a lengthy five-on-three power play early in the third, Bowles was equal to the task, turning away 14 shots in the period. Paul Gentile (Calgary, AB, 4th) had the Dinos' best chance of the period. After a defensive miscue, Gentile took a pass while on a two-on-zero break but Bowles went post to post and turned him away with a stellar glove save.
With the win the Horns improve to 14-12-0, while the Dinos (10-15-1) are now tied with the UBC Thunderbirds for the final playoff spot with 21 points after the T-Birds earned one point in their overtime loss to the Cougars.
The Horns will conclude the regular season portion of the Canada West schedule next weekend hosting the CIS No. 1-ranked Alberta Golden Bears. The Dinos still control their own fate, as they host the Thunderbirds to determine the final berth in the post season.
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