CALGARY – It was a dominating effort in Game 3 of the Canada West Quarterfinal as the No. 10 University of Calgary Dinos put forward their most complete game of the season to send home the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds with a 4-1 decision.

Last season the Dinos and Thunderbirds found themselves in the same scenario as this evening: Game 3 on a Sunday at the Father David Bauer Arena. That night, it was Brock Nixon who stole the show and clinched the game with a third period marker. In 2013, it was a complete team effort on both ends of the rink as Calgary booked its ticket to play the Alberta Golden Bears next weekend in Edmonton.

“We played really well tonight, defensively we were on the right side of our guys, we controlled their zone, our zone and the neutral zone,” discussed head coach Mark Howell. “All-in-all, it was just a really solid effort by the whole group.”

Similar to the first period on Friday night, Calgary brought the pressure in the opening 20 minutes. With three power plays, the Dinos were able to fire 13 shots on goal; however, goaltender Jordan White was perfect for the Thunderbirds turning aside everything he saw.

With 12 seconds to play in the first stanza, a hit by Dillon Wagner on Colton Grant changed the outlook on the game. The UBC forward was sent off for the remainder of the contest while handing the Dinos a five-minute man advantage to start the second period.

Just 24 seconds into the middle frame, Calgary capitalized on their extended power play. After breaking into the UBC end, Taylor Stefishen benefited from a fumble by White as he slipped up getting back into his crease. With the goaltender out of position, Stefishen squeezed the puck through a scramble to put the Dinos on the board. 

Still hammering the Thunderbirds on the shot clock, the home team doubled their lead at the 5:49 mark. After Max Ross was robbed on a breakaway when his shot hit the post, Walker Wintoneak had a chance of his own in front of the goal. With control of the puck in the slot, Wintoneak stretched to the left where he lifted a shot past White for his second of the playoffs.

Through 40 minutes, UBC had managed just four shots, compared to Calgary's 24. The game would finish with the Dinos outshooting their opposition 31-8.
 
Calgary scored a much needed third goal to go up 3-0 at the halfway point of the period. A great saucer pass by Max Ross found the stick of Blake Clement who buried a one-timer through White.

The Thunderbirds finally got on the board with their eighth and final shot of the game with nine minutes to go. Off a rebound with Calgary netminder Dustin Butler screened, Cole Pruden netted his second goal of the series, cutting the deficit to two.

On the power play at 17:25, a patient Corey Banfield set-up Kodie Curran with an empty net as White was out of position. The goal was the first by a Dinos' defenceman in the playoffs and rounded out the scoring.

“We had talked about it at the beginning of the series, one thing we haven't done all year is play a complete 60 minute effort,” mentioned Howell. “Tonight we did that.”
 
Next weekend the Dinos will take on the rival Alberta Golden Bears to decide who will advance to the Canada West Finals. The series will run Friday, Feb. 22 to Sunday, Feb. 24 if necessary.

-UC-