CALGARY – Ending his regular season career in the most dramatic of fashions, Brett O'Malley scored the game winner with 1:13 left to play on a sprawling backhanded shot, vaulting his Calgary Dinos into the Canada West postseason with a 3-2 victory over the UBC Thunderbirds.

BOX SCORE

Taking a stretch pass from Teegan Moore at UBC's blue-line late in the third period, O'Malley had one defender left to beat, Calgary native Craig Lineker. Using a gorgeous inside-out move to shed the third-year defenceman, O'Malley then eluded a Francois Thuot poke-check attempt on the left side of the crease, backhanding the puck into the net as he sprawled out into the boards. The remarkable goal was the games' last, as the Dinos successfully fended off a last-ditch charge from the Thunderbirds. 

The former Calgary Hitman and Lethbridge Hurricane seemed bewildered with what just occurred.

“I got a great pass from Teegan, and knew I had one defender left to beat,” said a smiling O'Malley. “Going in I was thinking of whether I should try something new or not, and all of a sudden it was like I blacked out and the puck was in the back of the net.”

For O'Malley, it marks a story-book ending to his regular season career with the Dinos. The Calgary native moved up to a tie for 19th on the franchise scoring list with the late goal, bringing his career total to 110 and undoubtedly gives the Dinos an extra push of momentum going into the postseason.

The Dinos did come out slowly yet again on Saturday however, allowing the T-Birds to score first for the second straight game. The first period was all Thunderbirds in fact, as they caused numerous turnovers with outstanding neutral-zone pressure, eventually out-shooting the Dinos by a wide margin of 19-5. UBC was able to convert on a late opportunity on the power-play, where Scott Wasden buried a shot in traffic to take his team into the break with a one goal lead.

Moore put the Dinos on his back in the second frame, scoring two goals by way of a redirected Brock Nixon wrist-shot and off of a rebound only a minute and eight seconds later, putting the Dinos up one heading into the third. The third-year forward brings his regular season point total to 22 with the effort, adding the late assist as well.

The 'Birds would make it interesting in the third, where Wyatt Hamilton made Calgary goaltender Dustin Butler pay for not corralling the rebound, jamming it home in the early going. Both teams would have their chances following the goal, with Calgary waiting until the very end to seal the deal.

O'Malley knows that discipline will be the key in the postseason, regardless of who they draw.

“I think we need to really focus on our defence and our systems going into the playoffs now,” O'Malley explained. “We came out slow tonight, and we'll have to use the extra week to work hard to eliminate that as we prepare for whoever we get in the first round.”

The T-Birds mark a disappointing end to a disappointing season at 8-19-1, and will now return to the hysteria of Vancouver with the Winter Olympics in full swing. Francois Thuot made 26 saves in the effort between the pipes for UBC.

With the victory, the Calgary Dinos (13-9-6) will have to wait and see who will be their first round playoff opponent on the weekend of March 5th. All that the Dinos know is that they will be on the road for the first round, and will be heading to either Edmonton to face the no. 2 Alberta Golden Bears, or to Saskatoon to face the Huskies, should they finish third in Canada West. Due to tie-breakers affecting placements in the standings, the Dinos cannot face either Manitoba or Lethbridge to open the postseason.

Calgary honoured their four graduating seniors, O'Malley, Paul Gentile, Dustin Hatlelid and Jeff Weber on Saturday, as they concluded their regular season careers with the Dinos. The T-Birds also said goodbye to their lone senior, forward Darrell May.

-UC-