CALGARY – There was extra incentive coming into the Crowchild Classic this weekend with the University of Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal Cougars holding identical 6-4-0-0 records.
Led by fifth-year forward
Delaney Frey's two-point effort, the Dinos drew first blood in the season series, defeating the Cougars 3-1 at the Father David Bauer Arena.
Winning the only game in the conference on Thursday, the Dinos move atop the Canada West standings while Mount Royal remains within striking distance two points behind in fourth place.
"It meant a lot for us; Mount Royal is always a tough team. Winning against them is huge for us," said Frey. "A huge part of our game this year has been us scoring on our opportunities. We are coming together as a team a lot better and playing a full 60 minutes."
The Dinos controlled the tempo during the first period and netted the game's first goal at the 9:51 mark.
Jordyn Burgar shoveled the puck out of the left corner and into the slot where Frey fed a pinching
Paige Michalenko. The Dinos captain beat Mount Royal goaltender Kaitlyn Ross with a quick wrist shot for her second goal of the season.
Taking advantage of a power play to begin the second period, the Cougars peppered Dinos netminder
Kelsey Roberts and finally broke through at the 3:31 mark. With play scrambled in front of the net, Anna Purschke found the puck through a maze of Dinos and flipped it over Roberts for her fifth goal of the year.
Calgary regained the lead mid-way through the middle frame on a highlight reel goal.
Holly Reuther picked up the puck in the neutral zone and skated from left to right into the offensive end where she let off a hard shot and went bar down to beat Ross. The tally was Reuther's second of 2019-20.
Frey rounded out the scoring two minutes into the third as she finished off a two-on-one with
Elizabeth Lang for her third goal of the season. Mount Royal pulled Ross with 2:30 remaining on the clock but were unable to beat Roberts for a second time.
The Dinos and Cougars will take the ice again on Friday night, this time from the Flames Community Arenas with a 7 p.m. puck drop.
