EDMONTON- In the first game of the Canada West playoff semi-finals the University of Alberta Golden Bears took game one in overtime, over the University of Calgary Dinos 5-4, Friday evening in Edmonton.
"They're a good team, they are going to have their opportunities," explained Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "We're a good team, we're going to have our moments, anytime we played the way we wanted to play; checked on top of guys, skated hard, drove the net, we were fine but anytime we got away from that they created turnovers and opportunities. We have to respect what we do well and do it over and over again."
Riding a seven-game winning streak into Clare Drake, including a quarterfinal sweep against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds the Dinos were first on the score sheet against the Golden Bears.
Danny Gayle potted his third goal of the playoffs on the power play. Dylan Busenius feed Gayle a pass from the point before Gayle fired a wrist-shot from the top of the circle over the blocker of Alberta's goaltender Brendan Burke.
Calgary narrowly escaped the opening frame with a 1-0 lead after first-year goaltender Matt Greenfield made a huge pad save in the dying minutes of the period. A Golden Bear on the power play, was all alone in front but couldn't solve Greenfield.
Heading into the game Howell told his team not to wait for Alberta to strike first, to come out swinging. "I thought we did tonight, for the past series I've been here for game one hasn't gone in our favor, I thought we had moments we controlled things and we played with a lot more heart and determination than in the past," stated Howell, following the game.
Alberta began the second period with a scoring frenzy, scoring two goals in the span of 49 seconds.
Cole Sanford wheeled out of the corner, behind the Dinos net before sneaking the wrap-around goal past Greenfield to tie things up.
Just moments later while shorthanded the Golden Bears gained their first lead of the game, on a partial break-away Lucas Nickles wired a wrist-shot from the top of the circle over Greenfield's shoulder to put the Golden Bears up 2-1.
Past the mid-way point of the middle frame Alberta padded its one goal lead to two. On another partial break-away, the puck bounced to the side of Calgary's net, Rhett Rachinski picked the puck up and buried it five-hole.
The Dinos began to find their way back into the game, netting three goals in the span of 43 seconds. On the power play, Gayle found the twine for the second time. Not long after cutting Alberta's lead to one, Logan Fisher tied the game up at three a piece with a low blocker side shot from the hash marks.
"We got back to doing things right, we got on their D, forced turnover, it's not a complicated game you just have to do it," said Howell. "Anytime we get into our own heads we lose that.
Collecting his seventh point in playoffs Drydn Dow walked the blue line, fired a low snap shot on net that made its way past a screened Burke, ending his night in net.
Greenfield held onto the Dinos lead with a huge shoulder save after losing his blocker and stick at the end of the second period.
Calgary would hold onto its lead until the mid-point of the third period when Rachinski would score his second of the game, tying the score at 4-4.
The stand-still wouldn't be solved in regulation, sending the game to overtime.
In the opening minutes of the extra frame the Golden Bears ended things early. Trevor Cox entered the Dinos zone on the left side, let a low wrister go that Greenfield would get a piece of but not enough to keep the puck out, ending the game 5-4 in favor of the Golden Bears.
"You have to learn but have a short memory because you have to reset and be ready to go tomorrow night," stated Howell. "If you want to play Sunday you have to win tomorrow night, it's as simple as that, it's playoff hockey."
Calgary will look to force a game three, as both teams will face-off again tomorrow evening, in the second game of the Canada West Semi-finals.
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