LETHBRIDGE – Chris Collins' goal with 3:56 left in the third period was the game-winner on Saturday night at the Nicholas Sheran Arena as the No. 7 University of Calgary Dinos defeated the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 3-2.

Looking for their first win against the Dinos since 2012, the Pronghorns played one of their hardest games of the year. All night long, Calgary had to battle for chances as it came down to the wire in a one-goal decision for the road team.

"You can tell its a new direction and a new enthusiasm in their team. They played really hard all weekend and I thought today there was some real push," explained Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "We have to learn to be much more consistent with our game plan. When we play the style of hockey we want to play, we control the game, but when we try to get too cute, it becomes very difficult.

"When we got back to what we needed to do, we were fine."

Calgary improves their record to 4-2-0 in conference play, while Lethbridge falls to 0-6-0.

Back-to-back penalties half way through the first period came back to haunt the Dinos as the Pronghorns netted the game's first goal. After missing on a four-minute power play, Lethbridge wouldn't be denied on a two-minute man advantage seconds later as David McMullen beat Jacob DeSerres with a hard shot from the left side of the blue line. The marker was McMullen's first of the campaign.

While Calgary managed to outshoot Lethbridge 11-10 in the first, the majority of their chances came from the perimeter. The Dinos' best chance came in the late stages of the opening frame as Brooks Myers sent a backhand attempt at Dylan Tait, who made his third-straight start for the Pronghorns on Saturday.

"It is a different game here in Lethbridge, they played really hard. They skated and hit hard and made it difficult for us," commented Kodie Curran.

The Dinos tied the game with a goal at the 9:10 mark of the middle frame. Taking the puck from Elgin Pearce, Curran skated in from the left side where his wrist shot tipped off a blocking Pronghorns' player and past Tait. The goal was the fifth-year defenceman's third of the year.

After a large hit that left a Lethbridge player down for a few minutes, the Dinos rallied and began to play with a lot of speed. That speed led to Calgary taking the lead as a bank pass by Dan Gibb found Collins. The second-year forward fired a shot from the right faceoff dot that squeezed through the legs of Tait and in for his second of the season.

Apply pressure and generating some good chances, the Pronghorns' hard work paid off with five minutes left in the third as an odd angle shot eluded DeSerres. From the right side boards, defenceman Tim Campbell threw the puck on net and saw it sneak past the Calgary netminder for his second marker of the weekend.

"We just had to stick with it [after they tied the game]," commented Curran. "Jake is going to have our back every night, obviously he wants that last one back, so its easy for us to go out there and pick him up."

Just when it seemed momentum was in the home side's favour, the Dinos struck again. Carrying the play in from the right side, Adam Kambeitz tossed the puck out in front where it deflected off Collins and past Tait.

The Dinos were forced to play the final minute shorthanded after a penalty was called to Ryan Harrison, setting up a six-on-four advantage for the Pronghorns. Despite some solid work in the offensive zone, Lethbridge couldn't get another puck past DeSerres as the Dinos escaped with two points.

Calgary outshot Lethbridge 35-25. The Dinos went 0-for-4 on the power play, while the Pronghorns went 1-for-4.

Next weekend, the Dinos host the Regina Cougars for a pair of contests at the Father David Bauer Arena from Oct. 17-18, while the Pronghorns travel to Vancouver for two games versus the UBC Thunderbirds.