CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos women's hockey team closed out the 2023 calendar year with in strong fashion, finishing a weekend sweep of Trinity Western with a 4-2 win Saturday at Father David Bauer Arena.

After a scoreless first period, the Dinos offence came to life in the second with a pair of goals. Courtney Kollman took charge halfway through the second after she brought the puck in from the neutral zone to challenge a pair of Spartan defenders. She took a clean shot, sniping past Mabel Maltais' backhand.

Sydney Mercier kept the momentum going as she scored her fifth goal this season. Dana Wood took a shot from the left side of the net near the boards where then Mercier caught the rebound off Maltais' pads. Mercier snuck the puck behind Maltais for a crafty goal 9:49 into the second. 

Things stayed that way until midway through the third, when the Spartans claw back into this one with a goal from Chloe Reid. Reid's third goal of the season came after a sharp pass from Michela Naccarato in front of the crease where Reid put it behind Gabriella Durante for a shorthanded score to make it 2-1 with just over 10 minutes left to play.

Calgary responded with a shorthanded goal of their own off the stick of Brooke Dennett just a few minutes later. Jess Martens raced down the ice with a Spartans defender as she made a play for Dennett. The fifth year retrieved Martens' rebound as she took a swift shot to put the puck above the netminder for her first goal of the year to give Calgary a two-goal lead again with 4:24 to play.

The Spartans stayed in the game, however, as Reid got her second goal of the game with one minute left on the clock to keep things interesting. A battle in the corner sent the puck out to Brooklyn Anderson who passed to Reid at the corner of the net, where Reid buried it to draw back at 3-2.

But, for the second straight night, Elizabeth Lang tallied an empty net goal to finish this one off and send the Dinos into break on a win streak.

Gabriella Durante made 30 saves in this one, while Mabel Maltais finished with 25 for the Spartans.

"We got a much-needed couple of wins this weekend and I think the team really played great," Durante said. "We're looking forward to the rest of the season now and getting some wins so we can make playoffs. With these two wins, we're in a spot to fight for it and we need to make sure we keep working hard." 

The Dinos are now off until the New Year, starting 2024 off in Edmonton with a home-and-home series with MacEwan Jan. 5-6. Meanwhile, TWU hosts Alberta to open the second half from the Langley Events Centre.

-UC-