CALGARY – Amanda Tapp withstood a 32 shot barrage Saturday, letting in only one goal, while Erika Mitschke was the hero as the Calgary Dinos rallied to a 2-1 overtime victory over the Manitoba Bisons at the Olympic Oval in Calgary.

BOX SCORE

The Dinos rallied late in the contest and were able to turn the momentum after having their net barraged for the first two periods.

“We're lucky tonight that we were able to tie the game in the last four minutes. It wasn't the best game we've played all season, it wasn't easy to watch at some points,”  Dinos coach Danielle Goyette commented after the win.

 “We have to say a big thank you to our goalie because she saved us big time in the third period. Without her it would have been a different game, but that is the nature of team sports.”

The Herd drew first blood at 3:33 into the second period after outshooting the Dinos 13-5 up to that point in the game. Kristy Majeran put the game's first goal in by driving from the right corner in front of the net before slipping the puck through Tapp's five-hole. Kayla Duna received an assist on the Bison's only goal of the game.

Following the Manitoba goal the Dinos received a series of power plays that partially evened up the shot counter but not the score. The closest the Dinos came in the last half of the second when Elana Lovell ripped a slap-shot from the left circle that beat Manitoba goalie Tara Lacquette but rang off the left post.

The Dinos first goal wouldn't come until the last five minutes, at 15:01 of the third period. That goal came from the stick of  Jenna Smith who drove the centre of the Manitoba zone and undressed the lone defender before slipping the puck through the five hole, evening the score at one. Dinos captain Cait O'Hara was credited with an assist on that marker.

“I think that the girls came together in the last five minutes and when they tied the game,” Goyette added. "I think they saw the hope and they knew that they could make it happen.”

After the first 60 minutes the score was even but the shot count was heavily in the visitor's favor with the Bisons out-shooting the Dinos 31 to 16.

The Dinos' momentum swing at the end of the third continued into overtime where the Dinos power play converted on their only attempt. That attempt came with Manitoba forward Addie Miles in the penalty box for hooking causing a four-on -three.

The goal was scored near the end of the powerplay with Melissa Zubick and Mitschke getting set up on a two-on-one break by Lovell. Zubick fed Mitschke a perfect pass across Lacquette's crease and the rookie pulled the trigger to snap the Dinos' three game losing streak.

In the end, the Dinos power play converted once on seven chances while Manitoba went zero for eight with the extra man. Tapp ends the contest with 31 saves on 32 shots while at the other end of the ice Lacquette turned away 17 of 19.

Noticeably absent from the Dinos roster was leading scorer Hayley Wickenheiser who had her hands full with Team USA while captaining the Team Canada contingent at the Four Nations Cup in St. John's. The Canadians won the final of that tournament tonight 3-2 in overtime.

The Dinos victory splits the weekend series between these Canada West rivals and brings Calgary back into the top spot in Canada West with a 7-4-1 record. The result of the weekend bring Manitoba into a tie with Alberta for third spot in the conference with a 6-3-1 record.

Next weekend the Bisons head home to host the UBC Thunderbirds on November 19th and 20th while the Dinos get a week off. Calgary's next action is on Nov. 26-27 when they host the Regina Cougars at the Olympic Oval.

-UC-