LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Despite a spectacular 48 save performance from Pronghorn goaltender Shauntelle Williams, the Lethbridge Pronghorns remain winless on the Canada West season after dropping a 4-3 shootout decision to the Calgary Dinos.
In addition to 70 minutes not being enough to determine a winner, it took until the seventh round of the shootout for a winner to be declared.
After the all three initial shooters from each team missed, Horns Shelby Ballendine and Canadian National Team Captain Hayley Wickenheiser went back and forth for two more rounds. Both missed in the opening round of three, then both scored in the first round of sudden death and had matching misses in the next round. Both coaches decided to give them both a break next round. After Amy Van Buskirk scored for the Horns, Erika Mitschke replied for the Dinos, setting up Wickenheiser's heroics in the seventh round.
An anemic Horns offense that had been shut out the previous two games awoke early into Saturday night's game with Ballendine intercepting a Dinos clearing attempt, making no mistake all alone in front to give the home side a 1-0 lead only a minute in. An evenly played opening 20 minutes ended with the Horns up and the Dinos holding slight lead in the shot department, 13-9.
Despite the ice being tilted in the Dinos favour in the second period, Williams was terrific, stopping 13 shots. The goaltender was also the Horns' best penalty killer in the frame, where the home-squad was shorthanded five times.
On the fourth Dino powerplay of the period Calaine Inglis converted a Wickenheiser pass to tie the score with less than five minutes remaining. Less than a minute later the Dinos took their first lead of the game off of a 2-on-1 break. Tanya Morgan took a pass near the hash marks and beat Williams five-hole.
While the Horns generated few opportunities in the second frame, they would head into the final period tied at two on a late goal. Megan Bailey registered her first career CIS goal with only 45 seconds left in the period.
The late second period marker seemed to give the Horns a shot in the arm for the third period. For the second time in the night, Ballendine was the beneficiary of a Dinos miscue, finding herself all alone in the slot again beating Jennifer Mallard high glove side early in the frame.
It took Calgary less than two minutes to respond with Mitschke collecting a juicy Williams rebound and sliding it into the open side.
Both teams had their fair share of opportunities to avoid overtime but both goaltenders were solid. Calgary again held shot advantages of 15-10 in the third and 8-3 in overtime.
With the win, the Dinos find themselves atop the Canada West standing tied with the Regina Cougars at 3-1-0, while the Pronghorns are at the bottom of the standings at 0-3-1 despite earning their first point.
The Horns remain at home next weekend, where they will host the Alberta Pandas, while the Dinos will invite the UBC Thunderbirds for a weekend pair of games in Calgary.
Full game stats: http://www.leaguestat.com/canadawest/womens/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=618
