BOX SCORE CALGARY – A three-goal performance from Taylor Stefishen helped the No. 3-ranked University of Calgary Dinos pick up a 5-2 victory over the Mount Royal University Cougars in Crowchild Classic action.

Looking to avenge an overtime loss to the Cougars last night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary relied on strong second and third periods during Friday night's game to get out a two-week funk. Stefishen led the way for the Dinos as they remain in contention for a first-place finish. Next weekend's match-up between the Dinos and Alberta Golden Bears will decide who has the top-seed in the Canada West playoffs.

The Dinos improve their record to 21-2-3 on the season with two games remaining. Mount Royal drops to 11-13-2 in a log jam for post season positioning.

"This win was huge, you could see in the first period we were tentative and were waiting for something to go wrong," said Dinos bench boss Mark Howell. "We said to our guys to just go play and remember who you are and to believe in what you do."

"Tonight we got back to outworking the other team. That was huge because we were down in the dumps and now we got some confidence back heading into next weekend against Alberta," noted Stefishen.

An even first period saw the Cougars emerge with a 1-0 advantage. With a shot from the blue line, Justin Kirsch squeaked one past netminder Jacob DeSerres for his fourth of the year as Mount Royal made the Dinos pay on the power play.

The shots were 8-7 in favour of Calgary early, but a couple of huge scoring chances by Mount Royal could have put the game out of reach. Of DeSerres' six stops in the opening frame, one came off a superb glove save in front of the blue paint while the other came on a shorthanded breakaway against Brenden Turnbull. DeSerres was making his second straight appearance in goal for the Dinos after replacing Kris Lazaruk on Thursday night.

The second period was one of the best for the Dinos in recent memory. Trying to end a three-game losing streak, Calgary held Mount Royal without a shot for the first 10 minutes of the middle stanza. With a jump to their step, Stefishen would tie the game for the home team just four minutes into the second. The fifth-year forward tried to connect with linemate Ryan Harrison in the slot but had the puck bank off netminder Cam Lanigan and in. The tally was Stefishen's fifth of the season.

Maintaining the pressure, the Dinos took their first lead of the evening at 11:40. On the power play, Giffen Nyren cut close to the net and dished the puck back to Walker Wintoneak who scored his second goal in as many nights. The fifteenth of the year by Wintoneak gave Calgary a 2-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Calgary began the third period on another power play and capitalized under a minute in. Kodie Curran's point shot was redirected past Lanigan by Spencer Edwards who picked up his 12th goal of the campaign on the play.

On a man advantage of their own minutes later, the Cougars cut the Dinos' lead in half. Tyler Jewitt was credited with his fifth goal of the season, but the Dinos debated that the puck never crossed the line. Regardless though, the referee didn't overturn the call as the marker stood.

The Dinos responded with their third power play goal of the game at the 10:26 mark. Stefishen notched his second of the night as his shot from the left face-off circle found a way through Lanigan. Edwards and Nyren each picked up their second assist of the night on the play.

Stefishen completed the hat-trick at the 15:43 mark of the third period. The Washington Capitals' prospect scored his seventh of the year for the first three-goal game of his CIS career.

"It was nice to have some go in, I guess I am the shooter on the line now," joked Stefishen.

Calgary outshot Mount Royal in the game 35-20. The Dinos were 3-8 on the power play, while the Cougars went 2-6.

The Dinos close out the 2013-14 season next week with a home-and-home versus the No. 1 Golden Bears. The final road game will be played on Feb. 14 in Edmonton, starting at 7 p.m. The teams will get a day off before going at it again on Feb. 16 at the Father David Bauer Arena with a 6 p.m. puck drop.

Mount Royal will also finish the year with a home-and-home. The Cougars will play the last-placed Lethbridge Pronghorns at home on Feb. 14 before traveling to Lethbridge for their final game of the regular season.

-UC-