LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Brock Nixon's shootout goal gave the University of Calgary Dinos their first win of the 2010-11 season Friday night, a 5-4 triumph against the Lethbridge Pronghorns.

BOX SCORE

Friday's game was the first of a home-and-home series that saw the Dinos pick up their first win of the regular season. Shootout games are becoming a common event between the Horns and Dinos with both non-conference games this fall and two of their four meetings last season ending in a shootout.

Down by three after a lackluster opening 40 minutes, the Horns scored three third period goals to force the extra frame and a shootout, setting the stage for Nixon's heroics.

The Dinos opened the scoring on a five-on-three power play just past the two minute mark when Reid Jorgenson redirected a Cody Pritz pass under the pad of Horns keeper Reese St. Goddard. Less than three minutes later the Dinos' lead was doubled with freshman Colton Grant scoring his first CIS career goal, converting a two-on-one with Blake Clement.

While the Horns registered 9 shots on goal in the opening frame, they never truly tested Dinos starter Dustin Butler.

Using a screen, Luke Egener added to the Calgary lead, shooting a puck just past a Horns defender that eluded St. Goddard three-quarters of the way through the second period.

The Horns would finally show some life and get on the board just over a minute after the Dinos' third marker. After a near miss by the Dinos, captain Dustin Moore streaked up the wing from deep in his own end and beat Butler short side.

The renewed life for the Horns would be short-lived as the Dinos would regain their three goal cushion on another power play, with Jorgenson completing a slick tic-tac-toe play with Torrie Wheat and Nixon. The Dinos held a slim 10-9 shot advantage in the second period.

It took until the third period for the Horns to show a sense of urgency in front of their 500-strong fans. The Horns dictated the play in the final 20 minutes, peppering Butler with 16 shots, while holding the Dinos to only four. Defenceman Ryan Pottruff was the catalyst in the comeback, converting on a goal mouth scramble only 4 and half minutes into the final stanza. Shortly after, while on a power play, Horns newcomer Nick Hotson found himself taking a pass backdoor from Taylor Melancon, and brought the Horns to within one.

The Horns nearly tied the game while on a five-on-three power play with four minutes remaining, but Melancon couldn't pull the trigger on the gaping cage. The Horns capped the wave of momentum in the last minute of play with the goaltender pulled. Moore notched his second of the game off a goal mouth scramble, somehow poking a rebound under Butler to force overtime.

Although the Horns continued to control the game, overtime provided fruitless, and a shootout was again required. Butler stopped all three Horns attempts and Nixon, on the first Calgary attempt, beat St. Goddard for the deciding goal.

These same two teams will renew acquaintances in Calgary tomorrow night in the back half of the home-and-home series at Father David Bauer Arena. Face-off is 7 p.m.

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