BOX SCORE LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – The Dinos scored three unanswered goals Friday night to open their home-and-home series with the Lethbridge Pronghorns with a 3-1 victory.

The win assures the Dinos of first place in the Canada West standings heading into the Christmas break.

Kelsie Lang, Tanya Morgan and Hayley Wickenheiser earned markers for the Dinos and Lauren Friedrich scored the lone goal for Lethbridge.

Both netminders saw plenty of action tonight; Crystal Patterson making 23 saves on 26 shots for the Pronghorns while Calgary's Amanda Tapp saved 24 of the 25 shots she faced.

Freidrech netted the first goal of the game, from Captain Ashley Beattie, at 11:16. Grabbing hold of a loose rebound, Freidrech corralled the puck and sent her second effort into the back of the net past Tapp, unable to get back into position

With lots of bodies in front of the 'Horns net, the Dinos' were awarded a goal with just shy of five minutes remaining in the period but it was quickly waved off and ruled a hand pass. But, the Dinos would tie up the game just a short time later, as Wickenheiser's quick cross-ice pass found Lang who proceeded to circle the net, dangle the defence and put the puck five-hole with a beauty of a backhand, at 17:27.

The very first shot of the second period earned the Dinos' their first lead of the game as Morgan's quick shot, from Wickenheiser and Inglis, managed to beat Patterson between the legs.

Trading shots at each end of the ice, neither team would manage to add another marker in the second. Calgary's Daniella Calgheros's hard shot through traffic trickled through the top of the crease but went wide and 'Horns leading goal scorer Kristen Reeves unleashed a high wrister from the top of the slot that was swiftly gloved down by Tapp.

Calgary added an insurance marker midway through the third, widening their gap to two. Wickenheiser came flying into the zone with all alone and skillfully out-waited Patterson, dangling left and before burying her sixth of the season and her third point of the night.

With this loss, the 'Horns fall to 5-7-3 while the Dinos add to their dominant numbers and remain comfortably in first position with a 12-2-1 record. Game two of the home-and-home series goes tomorrow night at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary. The puck drops at 6 p.m. and the game will also be broadcast live on cgy.canadawest.tv.

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