CALGARY – Dinos captain Adam Kydd scored the lone goal in a shootout, while senior goaltender Carl Stankowski made the winning save to give the University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey team a 3-2 win, completing a final regular season weekend with a  sweep over the Manitoba Bisons at Father David Bauer Arena.

"It's a really cool atmosphere when you make that save and everyone gets fired up for you," said the fifth-year goaltender.

The win had extra significance as the Dinos celebrated their annual Seniors' Night, honouring graduating players Stankowski, Kydd and fifth-year defenceman Sean Strange.

"It's been awesome," said Kydd, a third-year graduate. "It went by really quick – the three years that I've been here – and you meet so many great people coming in. There was a really solid group of older guys that led the way for me, and now to be one of the older guys on the team it's come full circle. I've loved it here, all the staff, coaches and all the players I've played with have been awesome."

Added Stankowski,
"It's been unbelievable. Coming in here as a 21-year-old, you don't really know much and you don't really know what it takes to get to the next level and push yourself each day. Here, the coaches, the staff and the players really push you each day to be the best version of yourself and I think that's probably the biggest thing that I've taken out of playing college hockey. I've learned a lot and I've enjoyed every single minute of it."

In comparison to Friday night's game, the scoring started early with the visitors striking first yet again. A rolling puck through the crease was tipped by Jackson Arpin, popping over the stick of Stankowski and onto the tape of Grady Lane who had a wide-open net to grab the first goal of the game at 15:53.

It was quickly followed up by Dinos rookie Hayden Pakkala with his 15th goal of the season at the 17-minute mark. The puck was brought up through the neutral zone by Brendan Lee before being passed off to Gavin Schmidt. A quick tip back to an approaching Pakkala saw an open lane, where he had no problems lasering one into the top right corner past Bisons' goaltender Matthew Kieper to tie the game 1-1.

An early second period penalty to the home team would go to give the visitors the lead yet again. On the man advantage, Dawson Pasternak brought the puck up centre ice on his own and shot it right down the centre lane, sailing through the Dinos' defence and past Stankowski for a 2-1 lead. 

A flurry of Manitoba penalties in the middle of the second period gave the Dinos numerous of chances on a couple offsetting five-on-three opportunities, but they couldn't capitalize. 

Just two minutes into the final regulation frame, the Dinos would score their second of the evening that would hold up for the remaining minutes. After a scramble at the Dinos' blue line, Schmidt saw the puck release before following it up the side and sniping it past the goal line to tie it 2-2.

In overtime, Calgary saw plenty of chances, out-shooting Manitoba 10-2 on shots on goal, but Kieper stood tall, sending the game to a shootout.

The game was quickly shut down by the Dinos captain, as Kydd was the only one to put one past the goaltenders, meanwhile Stankowski stayed on top of his game to block out all three Manitoba shooters to secure the win.

"When we stay on script and don't stray, we're good," said Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "It's when we think we're going to be cute and fancy and skilled, our league's too hard and you just can't play that way, it doesn't matter what team you are."

With the regular season coming to an end, the focus shifts to play-offs, where the Dinos will head up to MacEwan University to play the Griffins in the best-of-three quarterfinals Feb. 20-22.

"I think the preparation will be a lot of focus on our game and the things we need to do," said Kydd. "Obviously we'll be looking at some of their video and some of their tendencies, but I think we're just going to have a good week of practice and build off this weekend and just make sure our habits and details are really in tune going into the weekend."

Added Stankowski,
"Obviously it's a bigger atmosphere and there's more on the line, but at the end of the day, it's a hockey game. It's the same thing that you've been playing since you've been five years old – the exact same puck – so we'll just go in there, play loose and prepare like we'd prepare for any other game."

-UC-