EDMONTON – The University of Calgary Dinos couldn't slay the playoff dragon that is the University of Alberta Golden Bears as they fell 3-2 in the second game in the Canada West playoff semi-finals, Saturday evening in Edmonton.
"We were chasing a little bit today," stated Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "I thought we started really good but again like yesterday we got caught on our heels in the first. In the second, we didn't get much going but we just kept clawing away and unfortunately they had an answer every time we clawed back and when you're fighting from behind its hard but that's the one thing I do like about this group, we have no quit."
Leading the best of three series, 1-0 heading into Saturday's match-up, the Golden Bears looked to get things going early.
"It was a good series, two goals decided it, a couple bounces either way, I think that's the best we've ever played against U of A since I've been here," said Dinos leading playoff scorer Danny Gayle. "We never gave up, it was good to see and it was nice to contribute but I would have gladly of had no goals and gone further."
Alberta was first to strike in the second game of the Canada West playoff semi-finals. Nearing the end of the first period Luke Philp found a way past Dinos goaltender Matt Greenfield, with a shot from the hash marks, scoring low glove side.
Calgary's greatest opportunity in the first half of the second period came from the point. Braiden Doucette fired a low slap shot on net for the regular season leading goal scorer, Elgin Pearce to put away the rebound but Pearce couldn't manage to find the puck.
It appeared the Golden Bears would hold onto their one goal lead… that was until Parker Bowles of the Dinos put away his second goal of the playoffs. Logan Fisher forced the puck out from behind the net where Bowles was waiting to tie the game up 1-1 with only three seconds remaining in the second period.
Looking to shift the momentum back in their favor early in the final frame, the Golden Bears would pull ahead on the power play. Philp found the twine for the second time, with 19 seconds remaining in the Dinos penalty, Dylan Bredo slap passed the puck back-door to Philp who redirected the puck in for the go-ahead goal.
In do-or-die fashion, Gayle kept the Dinos hopes alive. Scoring his fifth of the playoffs off Pearces' rebound in front, Gayle was there to bury the puck into the empty net as Alberta's goaltender Brendan Burke was out of position after making the first save.
"We battled as hard as we could and just being able to put that home was really special," explained Gayle.
The Golden Bears ended Calgary's playoff run with 1:14 left in the third period as they re-took the lead for the third time. Stephane Legault dragged the puck across Calgary's crease before tapping the puck in.
"It's really disappointing, anytime you lose and don't reach your goal it's extremely disappointing," explained Howell. "We added some really good people this year and we were really optimistic about what we were doing. We had great goaltending, good depth in every position, just didn't accomplish our goal. I think we're all very disappointed, we wanted more."
Alberta will face the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the Canada West playoff finals.
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