BOX SCORE

CALGARY – For the third time this year, Joe Caligirui was a brick wall against the University of Calgary Dinos as the University of Manitoba Bisons picked up a 1-0 shootout victory at Father David Bauer Arena on Saturday night.
 
With the loss, Calgary ends the season with a record of 15-11-2 and sits in fourth place in the conference. However, with the UBC Thunderbirds losing Friday as well, the Dinos clinch home ice for the first round of the playoffs – and after a bye next weekend, they will host UBC in a best-of-three conference quarterfinal series Feb. 24-26. Manitoba, meanwhile, retained first place in the standings with the Saskatchewan Huskies and Alberta Golden Bears breathing down their necks.

The first period resembled nothing close to the previous night as the clubs went into the break deadlocked at 0-0. Colton Grant had the best chance as he broke in alone, only to have his shot swallowed up by Caligiuri. Defenceman Tyler Schmidt was assessed a two-minute penalty, plus a 10-minute misconduct for checking from behind in the final minute of the period.

The Dinos made it clear they stand behind their starting goaltender Dustin Butler as they gave him the call between the pipes after struggling on Friday. The reigning CIS goaltender of the year proved his coaches right as he stood tall for the Dinos on Saturday. His best save of the night came during a penalty kill midway through the middle frame. Butler denied Jared Walkers attempt and followed it up by throwing his right pad in the air to rob Canada West leading goal scorer Blair Macaulay.

The Dinos penalty killing was pushed to the test as the home team had players sent to the sin bin three consecutive times to begin the second period. Calgary's first-ranked penalty kill was able to hold off the Manitoba power play as the game remained scoreless through 40 minutes.

The third period went up and down the ice with furious action, but neither team could muster up a goal as the Dinos and Bisons went to overtime for the second consecutive night.

After one extra frame solved nothing, the teams went to three-on-three in the second overtime for another five minutes. With pond hockey style in play, players were able to skate all over the Olympic size ice. Despite numerous odd-man rushes, neither squad found the back of the net as the game had to go to a shootout.

After three players were stopped, Manitoba's second shooter Jeremy Schappert wristed a shot through the five-hole of Butler to put his team in front. Taylor Stefishen had a chance to extend the shootout, but was unable to solve Caligirui as he picked up his third shutout of the year at Father David Bauer Arena.

The Bisons outshot the Dinos 26-25. Calgary was 0-for-4 on the power play, while Manitoba went 0-for-5.

The Dinos will have a week to rest before the first round of the playoffs begins when they host UBC. The Bisons will round out their regular season next weekend as they host the Thunderbirds.

Notes: Before the game, fifth-year players Joel Eisenkirch, Teegan Moore, and Reid Jorgensen were honored for their time with Calgary. With tonight's game, Jorgensen moved into fourth all-time in regular season games played by a Dino.

-UC-