CALGARY — The University of Calgary Dinos returned to the win column in decisive fashion Friday night, shutting out the Manitoba Bisons 3-0 at Father David Bauer Arena.

Goaltender Amelia Awad was flawless between the pipes, turning aside all 30 shots she faced to record her second shutout of the season, while three different Dinos found the back of the net in a complete team effort on home ice.

The Dinos wasted little time setting the tone. Just over four minutes into the opening frame, Emma Tait scored her first of the season to give Calgary the early advantage. After Sydney Mercier gained the zone and worked the puck into the outside, Tait snapped a shot past Bisons' goalie Emily Shippam to make it 1-0. The goal ignited the Dinos bench as Calgary took control of the game's early flow.

That momentum was carried into the second period. At the 8:04 mark, the team doubled their lead when Mercier capitalized on a rebound in tight, burying her first goal of the year. Jada Johns and Awad collected assists on the play, as the Dinos' transition game continued to create problems for Manitoba's defensive structure.

Calgary maintained their defensive composure throughout the middle frame, limiting second-chance opportunities and blocking several key shots in front of Awad. The Bisons pressed with 13 shots in the period but couldn't find a way through a deeply organized structure and strong net-front coverage.

In the third, the Dinos sealed the result with another well-executed sequence. With less than four minutes remaining, Sophia Zuck finished off a passing play from Brette Kerley, extending the lead to 3-0. It was Zuck's first of the campaign and a show of the teams' confidence in the offensive zone.

From there, Calgary locked things down. The defensive unit — anchored by strong performances from Kerley and Johns — stood tall as Manitoba pushed late. Awad remained composed, turning away several quality chances to preserve the shutout. Offensively, the Dinos capitalized when it mattered most, converting their best looks into goals despite being narrowly out-shot 30–27.

After a loss last time out, Calgary head coach Josh Gosling was pleased with his team's bounce-back effort and composure throughout the night.

"I thought we played well," said Gosling postgame. "I thought our effort was better. The energy on the bench was good. We had some players step up huge in the last few minutes with some blocked shots. We had a lot of players pull our team into the fight, which I really liked."

For Awad, the shutout was a fitting reward after an outstanding start to the season that has seen her consistently give the Dinos a chance to win. Her 30-save performance anchored a team that looked confident and connected from the opening faceoff.

The win lifts Calgary to 3-2 in the early going, while Manitoba drops to 1-1-0-1.

With a quick turnaround before the rematch on Saturday afternoon, Gosling emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and drive.

"Never satisfied," he said. "We gotta fight another day. We gotta take care of this weekend. This is a big weekend for us, so we need to make sure that we're driving the bus tomorrow."

Calgary will look to complete the sweep when they face the Bisons again Saturday afternoon, continuing their homestand at Father David Bauer Arena. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m.

-UC-