BOX SCORE CALGARY – A shorthanded tally by Walker Wintoneak in the third was the difference on Friday night at Father David Bauer Arena as the University of Calgary Dinos came from behind to defeat the University of Regina Cougars 2-1.

The triumph extended the Dinos' season-high win streak to six games and allows them to maintain pace with the third-placed Manitoba Bisons who Calgary trails in the standings by one point. The Dinos record improves to 12-7-0 while the Cougars fall to 9-8-2 on the year and see their three-game win-streak end.

“It was pretty tight both ways tonight, we had some more chances in the second half after we started slow,” discussed Wintoneak. “This season it's slowly come together, it has taken us a long time. The Christmas break was good for us though, to come back and possibly be 4-0 it would be a great start.”

Both teams entered Friday's contest riding a hot streak and were aiming to continue their climb up the standings. Through 18 games, the Cougars were only two points behind the Dinos' for fourth in Canada West, a major improvement following 2011-12 when the team finished last.

“One thing Regina does it they compete really hard, I am really impressed with how hard they skate,” explained Calgary head coach Mark Howell. “It was a hard fought game; I thought both goaltenders were great. Our captain was our best leader, Brock Nixon did a good job getting second and third opportunities.”

That type of play is contagious so for, Corey Banfield, Wintoneak, Kevin King, it shows them they have to get their game up to that level when they see their captain playing like that,” added Howell.

The visiting Cougars controlled the majority of five-on-five action in the first period and used a stingy defensive effort to limit the Dinos' chances. On a power play at 6:48, Regina opened the scoring as Craig Cuthbert squeezed the puck past the pad of Dustin Butler. The tally was Cuthbert's second of the campaign.

A man advantage midway through the first frame seemed to spark the Dinos' attack as they finally managed to pepper netminder Lucas Gore with some better scoring chances. While the Regina goaltender held the fort while his team was down a body, Calgary did find the back of the net with under a minute left in the period. From the slot, Banfield banged the puck through the legs of Gore for his fourth of the year with Nixon and Wintoneak notching assists on the play.

More defensive play dominated the second period as neither side was able to maneuver any great opportunities. Being kept to the outside, Calgary had eight shots in the second, compared to four by Regina. The Dinos eventually outshot the Cougars 27-23 on the night.

With little happening during even strength action, it look some open ice on special teams for the tie to be broken. While shorthanded, Nixon broke into the zone from the right side where he threw the puck towards the middle of the ice for Wintoneak who buried his 11th of the season.

With their first lead of the night, Calgary depended on fifth-year netminder Butler in the final stanza as they nursed a one-goal lead. The former CIS goaltender of the year wouldn't disappoint as he made a number of key saves. Regina pulled Gore in the final minute but was turned away in a 2-1 set-back.

These two teams will go at it again tomorrow night at Father David Bauer Arena with puck drop at 6 p.m.  Calgary travels to Manitoba next weekend for a match-up with the Bisons on Jan. 18-19. Regina returns Calgary next weekend as they contest with the Mount Royal Cougars on Jan. 18-19.

-UC-