BOX SCORE CALGARY – Getting off to the start they were hoping for, the No. 4 University of Calgary Dinos won Game 1 of their Canada West semi-final series 5-1 against the University of Manitoba Bisons on Friday night at the Father David Bauer Arena.

Following almost two weeks of practice, the Dinos finally had the chance to put their second half behind them and show what they are capable of. Calgary set the tone with an energetic first period, led by a line of Giffen Nyren and Dylan Walchuk who each made an impact no matter who was on their right wing. Nyren netted two goals in the game and added an assist while Walchuk picked up a pair of helpers. Davis Vandane, Walker Wintoneak and Elgin Pearce also scored for Calgary while the lone Manitoba tally came off the stick of Luke Paulsen.

"It was good to get our game corrected, it is no secret we were not playing well [in the second half of the season]," explained Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "I think the bye was good for us to regroup and reset. Our guys were full of energy."

The first period began  tentatively as both teams tried to figure each other out. Calgary managed to get their legs going quickly though as they sustained some pressure and notched the game's first goal at the 6:16 mark of the first period. Walchuk's initial shot from the middle was stopped by goaltender Joe Caligiuri, but in the right place at the right time was Nyren who deflected the puck into the net to make it 1-0.

The Dinos took advantage of momentum off the next face-off at center ice as they doubled their lead. Just 13 seconds after Nyren opened the scoring, first-year defenceman Vandane carried the puck across the blue line and blasted a shot that beat the screened Manitoba netminder and broke his water bottle in the process.

Another shot attempted by Nyren led to the Dinos' third goal of the period. Holding the line well and firing a shot from the left side, Nyren's shot was redirected by Wintoneak for a power play goal at the 9:46 mark.

"It was huge, we had a good week of practice but you can practice as much as you want, it is a lot different in game situation," commented Vandane on Calgary's hot start to the contest. "We worked hard to jump out like that and it paid dividends."

On a power play of their own at the 6:47 mark of the second period, the Bisons cut the deficit to 3-1. Taking the puck at the right face-off circle, Paulsen slipped a shot through the legs of Jacob DeSerres for his first of the post season.

Despite a number of good chances in the middle frame, Manitoba went into the third period trailing by two. In the final stanza Calgary jumped on the visitors early as they restored their three-goal lead on a marker by Pearce under two minutes in. Nyren rounded out the scoring with his second of the night on the power play at the 7:18 mark.

Calgary outshot Manitoba 30-27. DeSerres made 26 saves in net for the Dinos while Caligiuri stopped 25 attempts.

The Dinos were 2-2 on the power play while the Bisons were 1-5 on their advantages.

Calgary now leads the best-of-three series 1-0. These two teams will meet again tomorrow, March 1 at the Father David Bauer Arena for Game 2.