LANGLEY, B.C. – The University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey team responded from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Trinity Western Spartans 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre.

As teams prepare to head into the holiday break, the Dinos hold a 14-3-1 record to remain atop the Canada West Standings. The loss drops the Spartans to 2-13-1 on the year.

The Spartans opened the scoring with Adam Oates finding the net just over a minute into the game. TWU third-year forward Jeremy Klessens won the draw back to Oates at the blue line, where his shot from the blue line deflected off of the traffic in front of the net and past Carl Tetachuk to give the home team the 1-0 lead. 

Just over two and a half minutes later, Tanner Hopps gave the Spartans a two-goal lead. Hopps broke into the Calgary zone and found space up the right side, which he took to the Dinos net. Hopps then faked to the middle and then brought the puck back to the near post to put his team up 2-0.

At the 15:31 mark, Calgary cut the lead in half. Dylan Anderson took a shot from the right side of the slot which was blocked by the Spartans defence. The puck went off to the right to a waiting Jake Gricius who easily beat Leon Sommer, who was expecting the shot to go to the far post, to make the score 2-1.

Jake Poole tied the game shortly after when he converted a rebound from Colson Gengenbach.

Calgary's Jaeger White got the game-winner on the power play at 7:03 of the second period. Zach Wytinck started the scoring play with a shot from the point. Adam Kydd picked up the rebound on the right side of the net and sent the pass to a waiting White in the middle of the slot.

White made it back-to-back goals and got the insurance goal for the Dinos at 14:46 of the final frame. He went give-and-go with Riley Stotts to get open between the two circles where he found the lower left side of the Spartans' net to put Calgary up 4-2.

Gricius got the empty net goal at 18:48 to clinch the game for the Dinos.

Tetachuk made 19 saves to earn the victory, while Sommer stopped 41 shots in the loss.

The Dinos are back in action in the new year when they battle the MacEwan Griffins in a home-and-home set, beginning on Jan. 5 at Father David Bauer Arena.

The Spartans return to play on Jan. 5-6 against the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton.