CALGARY – Breanne Trotter scored the game's only goal 4:22 into the second overtime as the Mount Royal Cougars completed the upset in the Canada West semifinal with a 1-0 win over the University of Calgary Dinos in Game 3 Sunday night at Father David Bauer Arena.

A scramble in front of the Calgary net forced Kelsey Roberts to make three stone-cold stops. The rebound off the third Cougars attempt fell to the stick of Trotter who put it into the back of the net after pulling off a fantastic toe drag around the defence, sending the Cougars to the Canada West final and the U SPORTS national championship for the first time in program history.

"The resilience of our group over the past two games and especially tonight is what got it done for us," said Cougars head coach Scott Rivett. "That's a good team and it's always close when we match up."

The end was a bitter disappointment for the Dinos, who nonetheless had a remarkable season in 2019-20. After being chosen to finish last in the eight-team Canada West in the preseason coaches' poll, the Dinos finished solidly in second place and earned a first-round playoff bye.

"We were one goal away from the national tournament," said Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette. "That's something we have to be really proud of. Yes, we lost tonight and it's not the way you want to finish, but I don't think the girls could have given more than what they gave tonight. To lose a game like that when you leave everything on the ice, you can't be angry."

For the first time in the series, the opening 20 minutes were goalless. Despite not getting a shot in the first six minutes of play, the Dinos had a few good chances to open the scoring as they were backed up by Roberts in goal who made a couple of solid saves to keep it tied.

Despite the second period also not producing any goals, chances were more plentiful for both sides. Calgary would hop on the power play for the first time in the game just a few minutes into the middle frame.

After a strong penalty kill for Mount Royal, they came back the other way on a two on one. An empty net and what looked to be a for sure opening goal, the puck jumped high and wide off the stick of the Cougars forward.

Roberts, in typical fashion, made two heroic saves in the third period to give her team a shot at opening the scoring. Roberts went on to make 33 saves in the loss.

With the win, Mount Royal will head to Edmonton to take on the Alberta Pandas in the best-of-three Canada West Final next weekend.

-UC-