CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey team have extended their season and forced a Game 3 in their Canada West semifinal series.

Riley Gannon tallied the game-winning goal late in the second period, securing a 2-1 win for the Dinos over the Mount Royal Cougars at the Flames Community Arenas.

A transfer from Brock University, Saturday was only Gannon's sixth game in a Dinos jersey, bringing scoring pedigree to the lineup at the most important time of the year.

"It has been huge to get [Gannon] in the lineup," explained Dinos fifth-year defenceman Sean Strange. "He had to sit out most of the year, but he was still working hard the entire season and was eager to get back, and it is evident that he was hungry for it."

Calgary was outshot in all three periods but received excellent goaltending from Canada West second team all-star Carl Stankowski, who finished with 28 saves in his first post-season start since 2022.

"He has been great all year," stated Dinos head coach Mark Howell. "He was fantastic, our defence blocked a ton, Hayden Pakkala had a massive block right at the end of the game. We did a lot of good things, but now there is one more game, and it gets harder yet."

The Dinos opened the scoring in Game 2 with the only goal of the first period. Following a Mount Royal scoring chance, a pair of Calgary forwards quickly raced up the ice the other way developing an odd-man rush. Pakkalla dished it to Gavin Schmidt who continued through the hashmarks and beat Cougars netminder Shane Farkas with a low shot to make it 1-0.

"We had an excellent first period," said Howell. "We had a lot of hits in the first and put pucks to the goal line, didn't give as much transition and didn't turn the puck over as much."

Calgary was flagged for the first three penalties of the game and it would ultimately cost them on the third infraction as Justin Lies tied the game.

The Dinos would restore their lead with under four minutes remaining in the middle frame.

Pulling the puck out of a scrum, Wyatt Wilson offered a perfect stretchpass off his backhand to find Gannon breaking between a pair of Cougars. The former Badger then used his speed to beat out the defenders before hiring a shot past the blocker of Farkas.

Gannon's goal held up as a game-winner after Mount Royal was held off the scoresheet in the third period.

The Dinos and Cougars will play Game 3 on Sunday evening at Flames Community Arenas. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. The winner will face the Saskatchewan Huskies in the conference final and earn a berth at the University Cup.

-UC-