EDMONTON – The University of Alberta Golden Bears edged the University of Calgary Dinos 1-0 in OT in a highly physical and intense game Saturday night at Clare Drake Arena.
Thomas Carr scored the only goal 1:33 into the first overtime period, while third-year goalie Luke Siemens stopped all 26 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the season. Fourth-year net-minder
Steven Stanford stopped 32 of 33 shots in the loss, but earned the game's first star honours.
Along with the highly physical nature of the game, timely penalty kills also seemed to be the theme in Saturday night's tilt, as the two teams combined to go 0-7 on the powerplay, five of which were for the home Bears.
Fifth-year forward, and team scoring leader, Jordan Hickmott had the best opportunities through the opening forty minutes for Alberta, but was unable to capitalize on any of his chances. Hickmott was unable to finish on multiple two-on-one opportunities, and his shot into a wide-open Dino net in the second period was blocked by a sliding defender.
The first forty minutes of the contest was evenly matched, with the Golden Bears holding a slight advantage in shots, 19-16, but the game remained scoreless. What the game lacked in goals, it more than made up for in after the whistle skirmishes, with the Battle of Alberta intensity seeping through.
Stanford was solid once again in the final regulation period, stopping all 11 shots he faced, including a Levko Koper breakaway with less than seven minutes remaining.
However, it didn't take long into overtime to find the first goal of the game. Hickmott's point shot through a screen was never seen by Stanford, before being tipped in by Carr in front of the Dino crease.
The win gives Alberta the weekend sweep of Calgary, after a 6-1 win in game one. The win vaults the Bears over the UBC Thunderbirds for second in Canada West with an 8-3-1 record. The Dinos, meanwhile, fall to 4-5-3, and into seventh place in the conference.
The Dinos will head home next weekend, for an inter-city home-and-home matchup with the Mount Royal Cougars. The Bears, meanwhile, will head back on the road, as they visit the 7-2-3 T-Birds in Vancouver.
