EDMONTON – Dallon Melin scored his second career hat trick to help the Calgary Dinos men's hockey team to a 4-1 win over MacEwan Saturday afternoon from the Downtown Community Arena.

MacEwan came into the game riding high as they took down the Dinos for the first time since joining Canada West the night before. The Griffins also learned prior to the game they clinched their second consecutive playoff berth.

With wind in their sails, MacEwan jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the second, only to see the Dinos tie things up shortly thereafter before the flood gates opened in the final frame for the lopsided final tally.

Calgary moves to 14-10-2 with the win, while MacEwan now sits at 10-13-3.

Both squads are locked into the third seed in their respective divisions heading into the final weekend, just waiting on results at the top to see where they each will head for their opening playoff matchup.

In Saturday's showdown, Liam Ryan opened the scoring on Saturday when he sped in for a rebound off Sean Comrie's point shot and wired it past Carl Stankowski 3:49 into the second period. The play was senior to senior to senior as Hunter Donohoe started it, netting his 21st assist of the season.

Dallon Melin tied it up less than four minutes later, however, off a one-timer down low off a pass from Connor Gutenberg from behind the net that he sniped far side on Epp.

Things were snug the rest of the way, but the Dinos broke this one up down the stretch.

Max Patterson brought the puck into the zone and left it for Melin, who beat Brett Epp again on a high-blocker side snipe from the top of the right circle with 4:48 remaining. 

Calgary kept coming and made it 3-1 just 34 seconds later as Patterson drove hard to the crease and the puck spit out to Adam Kydd on the back side and he made no mistake.

Melin completed the hat trick with a short-handed empty netter from his own end with 42 seconds left.

It marks the second hat trick of the season for Melin, who also potted three in a win over Manitoba back on Nov. 23 of this season.

Stankowski finished with 17 saves for the Dinos, while Epp tallied 25 for the Griffins.

The Dinos close out the regular season next weekend at home, host UBC inside Father David Bauer Arena Friday and Saturday. MacEwan wraps up the regular season with a road series at three-win Regina. 

-UC-