CALGARY – Making their first trip to extra time since their return to Canada West, the Calgary Dinos finally broke a 13-game losing streak in the shootout with a 3-2 win over the Regina Cougars Friday night at the Olympic Oval.

BOX SCORE

The victory was Calgary's first Canada West win at home since a 1-0 decision over Lethbridge Nov. 17, 2001.

In a close-fought battle that saw the teams trade goals before making it to the shootout, Calgary 'keeper Katie Urness stoned the Cougars on all three of their shots while Elana Lovell, Casey Irving, and Sinead Trace each scored on their chances to lift the Dinos to the win.

“After we played Alberta for the last four games, we competed and we worked hard and we played some good games so we knew that we could compete with Regina,” said Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette commented after the win. “I was disappointed with the first period, I don't think we were mentally prepared, but we came back in the second and third and it was great to win in the shootout.”

Tracey and Lovell each had two-point nights for Calgary (2-13-0), each assisting on the other's goal, while Paige Wheeler and Kelsie Graham replied for the Cougars (5-5-5).

The first goal was scored by Regina in the first period after their forecheck resulted in a turnover in the Dinos end onto the stick of Kelcie McCutcheon. She fed Weeler, who slid the puck past Urness right pad at 6:19.

That one goal lead would hold into the second when, on the power play, Lovell got the Dinos back into the contest after picking up a rebound off Cougars' goaltender Lisa Urban. Cait O'Hara and Tracey picked up assists on that marker at 7:39 in the second.

The Cougars would respond with their own power play goal with 23 seconds left in the period. Graham scored from a scrum in front of the Dinos net, with Rianne Wight and Rae-Lyn Somogyl drawing helpers.

The Dinos scoring pair would light the lamp once more in regulation when, at 5:03 in the third, Lovell set Tracey up for a one-on-one with the goalie which resulted in a buried five-hole shot. Nicole Kuglin picked up the other assist on the game tying goal.

In the shootout the Dinos would rely on a tried formula, sending out Lovell and Tracey alongside Beccy Niehaus and Casey Irving. Lovell, Irving, and Tracey would all find the back of the net beating Urban on the left, five hole, and right sides respectively. Regina responded with Hillary Lerat, Stephanie Banilivic and Jayme-Lee Green, only to be turned away three times by Urness.

Urness stopped 31 of 33 before the shootout while Urban blocked 29 of 31. On the power play Calgary went 1-for-8 while Regina managed one goal on six opportunities.

The two teams face a short turnaround before closing their weekend series with a Saturday matinee at Father David Bauer Arena, which is set to face off at 3 p.m. MT.

-UC-