CALGARY – With goals from Shannon Davidson and Beccy Neihaus the Dinos took down the UBC Thunderbirds 2-1 Saturday in a game that now has no implications for the Canada West playoff spot both teams were chasing.

BOX SCORE

“I'm happy with the effort tonight,” Dinos coach Danielle Goyette commented after the win. ”Yesterday we dominated five-on-five. We knew that we needed to be more disciplined if we wanted to win.”

The Dinos' five-on-five domination began late in the first period when, with 3:13 left on the clock, Shannon Davidson drew first blood. Davidson put in that goal, her third of the year, from the slot after receiving a feed from Cait O'Hara that stunned T-Bird goalie Melinda Choy. Fifth year Danielle Boyce also notched an assist on the lone first period marker.

Following that lead Beccy Niehaus added the eventual game winner, her sixth goal of the season, six minutes later at 2:55 into the second. That goal was set up by Erin Davidson and Tanya Morgan who managed to spring Niehaus on a breakaway into the T-Birds end. Making no mistake on the move the Dinos assistant captain ripped a shot over Choy's glove and into the mesh.

Dinos goalie Katie Urness didn't have a stress-free night and bailed her team out on a number of occasions including the middle of the second period when Elana Lovell almost put the puck in her own net. Lovell was breaking up a T-Bird rush when a cross ice pass deflected off  her stick towards the top corner of the home teams net; Urness' reflexes didn't disappoint as she reached the errant puck and gloved it.

Urness continued this inspiration as she turned away a half dozen shots during a series of Dinos penalties that saw UBC threaten with 1:14 worth of five-on-three time late in the second.

That penalty kill would prove to be critical as the T-Birds Alisha Choy found the back of the net, even strength, with just 17 seconds left in the second to make it a one goal game. Kelsey Halvorson set Choy up from the neutral zone giving her a breakaway; making no mistake on the chance Choy ripped a shot over Urness' blocker and into the net.

Statistically the teams were fairly evenly matched with Urness turning away 24 of 25 shots while Choy blocked 23 of 21. Both teams failed to convert on their powerplay with the Dinos going 0/5 and the T-Birds going 0/6.

In the end, the playoff spot that both these teams were hunting for is lost to them. That playoff spot dried up because the Regina Cougars claimed it with a win against Lethbridge tonight.

This marks the end of the season for UBC who go out with an 8-5-1 record.

It also marks the end of a CIS career for Jenny Mahovlich, the only fifth year player on their roster. The win moves Calgary up a position in Canada West, leapfrogging Lethbridge for sixth spot.

Next weekend, Feb. 19-20, the Dinos will play their final two games of the season against the Lethbridge Pronghorns in a home-and-home series. The first game faces off in Nichalas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge at  7 p.m. on Friday before the Dinos wrap up their season at Father David Bauer Arean on Sunday, Feb. 21at 3 p.m.

-UC-