CALGARY – Nearing the end of the non-conference schedule, the University of Calgary Dinos gave one of their best performances this far, defeating the University of Alberta Golden Bears 3-2 on Friday night at the Father David Bauer Arena.

Calgary and Alberta will each play one more game before conference play begins next week. The Alberta rivals will go at again tomorrow evening as the Golden Bears host the Dinos from St. Albert, Alta. With the victory, Calgary is 4-4-1 in September while tonight's loss is Alberta's first in 10 tilts this year.

"We want to continue to find our game and find confidence in how we want to play. For good portions of the game we did a good job," said Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "We moved the puck well and when they pressured us we fought through it."

Struggling to find offence in the early going, the Golden Bears made a parade to the penalty box in the opening stanza. Despite a strong effort by the Alberta penalty kill, Calgary got on the board at the 16:33 mark. Breaking in from the left side, Washington Capitals' prospect Taylor Stefishen wired a shot past Golden Bears' goaltender Kurtis Mucha. Chris Collins and Giffen Nyren notched assists on the power play maker.

Early in the second period, Alberta knotted the score. With a Dinos' blue liner unable to keep the puck in the offensive end, the Golden Bears were able to poke it loose, springing out on a three-on-one rush. Thomas Carr would capitalize on the advantage, finishing off passing plays by Kruise Reddick and Jamie Crooks.

The game didn't remain tied for long though as Calgary recaptured the lead moments later. New Dino and fourth-year forward
Tyler Moir redirected a point shot by Kodie Curran, eluding Mucha at 3:44.

Brett Ferguson almost tied the game while fore-checking along the backboards on a penalty kill. Catching the puck on a weird bounce and with Calgary netminder Kris Lazaruk out of position, the third-year forward attempted to swipe a shot into the cage. The puck failed to cross the line, sending the action back up the ice where the Dinos scored. Making good on a one-timed pass by Drydn Dow, Kevin King buried one between the legs of Mucha for a two-goal lead.

Where there was a lack of scoring, the third period made up for in dazzling goaltending as the 'Lazer Show' opened up between the pipes for Calgary. Looking to re-establish himself after missing the entire 2012-13 season due to injury, Lazaruk put on an impressive display, denying a potent Golden Bears' offence time-after-time. His best save of the evening brought fans to their feet as he stretched across his crease, flashing the glove and robbing an Alberta skater point blank from in front of the blue paint.

Johnny Lazo buried a shot in the dying seconds to bring the score within one, but that's all the visitors would muster.

"I knew we were going to have really good goaltending this year, Kris and Jake are solid and Myles has come in and done a good job too," explained Howell.

The Dinos begin the Canada West schedule next weekend as they visit the Regina Cougars for two games on Oct. 4-5.

Alberta will also be on the road from Oct. 4-5 as they battle the Manitoba Bisons in their season opener.