CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos notched a convincing win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns Friday in a 5-0 shutout at the Olympic Oval.

BOX SCORE

Led by 3Hayley Wickenheiser#, the new-look Dinos started strong and notched their first goal 3:36 into the game with Wickenheiser dropping off a pass to Elana Lovell in the slot. Lovell buried her shot easily, starting her on her way to a two-point night.

After that, the remainder of the first was a back and forth affair with the most noteworthy scoring chance coming from a redirected point shot that was tipped past Lethbridge goalie Crystal Patterson by Dinos rookie Chelsea Peterson. That shot would bounce off the inside of the post, keeping the Dinos to 1-0 at the first intermission..

“Our first period was slow,” noted Dinos captain Cait O'Hara after the win. “We were a little bit tentative at the start.”

That goal was the only even strength goal of the contest as the next bout of scoring didn't happen until midway through the second period with the Dinos on the penalty kill. That kill caused some scary moments for the Dinos defense as holding calls to Melissa Zubick and Shannon Davidson a minute and a half apart gave Lethbridge a five-on-three. After killing the first penalty off and springing Zubick from the box, Wickenheiser took the puck from behind her own net and skated end to end in order to bury the Dinos' second goal of the night. O'Hara and Nicole Kuglin picked up assists.d.

Six seconds later the Dinos' other penalty killing unit took the ice and went to work on a drive towards the 'Horns net that culminated in a goal by Erin Davidson with an assist by Tanya Morgan.

The special teams continued to be fruitful for the home team with their power play converting it's first goal of the night at 14:44 in the second period. That goal was set up by a Wickenheiser shot from the point that was tipped in front by rookie Madison Gee. The ensuing rebound was fired behind the Lethbridge goalie by Morgan before being stuffed in by Calaine Inglis.

After the fourth goal against, Lethbridge decided it was time to change netminders. Up to that point Patterson had made 10 stops on 14 shots. Replacing her was Shauntelle Williams who would get in front of 14 out of 15 shots that she would face in the last 25 minutes of the game.

The third period saw the Dinos pepper the Lethbridge net, notching 14 shots to the visitor's three in the final period. The only goal in that frame came from another Wickenheiser point shot that was tipped in by rookie forward Erika Mitschke. Lovell picked up the other assist on that goal.

At the other end of the rink, Dinos goalie Amanda Tapp had a quiet night posting a shutout on 11 shots against her. On the special teams, Lethbridge failed to convert on four Calgary infractions while the home team put two goals away on seven attempts with the powerplay.

Following the win, Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette laid out how she wants the year to progress.

“As a team we have to work at getting better every year,” Goyette said. “This year with having Hayley on the team it is an adaptation for us. We have to make sure that we grow together as a team, not just hoping that she will make the difference for us.“

Wickenheiser echoed similar thoughts from a player's perspective.

“I think that this was a nice win for these girls so they can get some confidence. They are taking another step this year to become a competitive team in the CIS. It's about learning how to win and haw to play intense every shift, every game.”

With less than 24 hours before the next meeting with Lethbridge, the Dinos will have to keep the intensity high. That meeting is the Pronghorns' home opener and faces off at 7 p.m. Saturday night at the Nicholas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge.

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