WINNIPEG – Kyle Annesley scored the shootout winner as the Calgary Dinos eked out a 4-3 win over the Manitoba Bisons Saturday night in a game that featured four lead changes.
BOX SCORE
Calgary improves their record to 9-13-1, but failed to make up any ground in the Canada West standings as they still trail the UBC Thunderbirds by one point for the final playoff spot. UBC was victorious on Saturday in Saskatoon, beating the Saskatchewan Huskies 2-1. That out of town scoreboard news works in favour of the Bisons as they still have an outside chance of catching the Huskies for second place and a first-round bye in the playoffs. With the shoot out loss, Manitoba now trails Saskatchewan by two points, with a record of 12-8-6. Both the Bisons and Huskies have two games remaining.
The Herd got goals from Myles Rumsey, Marc Olafson and Rick Wood. Torrie Wheat, Paul Gentile and Dan Ehrman replied for the Dinos.
Steve Christie was the busier of the two goalies, stopping 27 shots for Manitoba, including one in overtime. Jeff Weber made 20 saves to pick up the win for Calgary.
Rumsey netted his second of the weekend, and second of the year to open the scoring for Manitoba. Rumsey took a pass in the slot from Rick Wood, and then fired a shot that Weber was only able to get a piece of with his pad. That put the Bisons up early at 1:09 of the first period.
The Dinos answered just over four minutes later when their leading scorer, Wheat put the puck up-and-over a sprawled out Christie at 5:39. It was the 12-th time this season that Wheat has lit the lamp.
Near the middle of the second period, both teams exchanged a pair of similar goals within 35 seconds. First, while Gentile was driving hard to the Bisons net, he was able to whack the puck with only one hand on his stick. It took a funny hop, hitting Christie in the back and dribbled into the net for his sixth. That occurred at 9:23. Then at the opposite end of the rink, Olafson's shot from behind the net hit Weber in the pants and bounced in. Olafson's third goal tied the game at 9:58.
Olafson then had to watch the remainder of the second period from the tunnel, when he was called for hitting to the head at 14:15. He hit Brock Nixon near the centre of the Bisons head and a crowd quickly gathered. Olafson was assessed the only penalties after the whistle receiving a two-minute minor and 10-minute misconduct. The Dinos failed to score of the ensuing power play.
Calgary was able to kill off a two-man advantage six minutes into the third period. Adam Redmond was called for roughing, then 23 seconds later Reid Jorgensen was sent off for hooking. The Dinos limited the Bisons only a couple of shots and kept the game knotted at two apiece.
Manitoba was able to break the deadlock at 13:42, just after a Calgary penalty expired. Rumsey's shot was wide-left of the net but it careened straight to Wood who pounded it home to put the Bisons up 3-2. It was his team leading tenth of the year.
Ehrman was able to tie the game for the Dinos and send the game to overtime. His slap shot from the slot beat Christie with 2:56 remaining in regulation. It was his third of the year. Calgary had chance to end it with a late power play, but Manitoba managed to kill off the penalty.
In overtime, Nixon had a shot of his redirect in front and bounce dangerously close to the Bisons net for the only real opportunity in extra time.
Annesley was the first skater in the shoot out and the only one to score, as he went to his forehand and beat Christie. Riley Dudar was the last chance for the Bisons but he hit the crossbar during his shoot out opportunity.
With only two weeks now remaining in the Canada West regular season, the schedule for Calgary and Manitoba shakes out as follows. Calgary will travel to Lethbridge next weekend to face the Pronghorns then return home to host the UBC Thunderbirds to close out the season. Manitoba will finish their season next weekend, on the road in Edmonton when the challenge nation's No. 1 team in the Alberta Golden Bears. The Bisons will have a bye on the final weekend.
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