Box Score CALGARY – The Canada West men's hockey semi-final is going to a Game 3 after Jordan DePape scored at the 13:05 mark of the first overtime to lift the University of Manitoba Bisons to a 3-2 decision over the No. 4 University of Calgary Dinos on Saturday, March 1 night at the Father David Bauer Arena.
In a tightly contested game that had 'playoff hockey' written all over it, the Bisons found a way to erase two one-goal deficits to force overtime. Davis Vandane and Cory Pritz put markers on the score sheet for the Dinos but were countered by Luke Paulsen, Dylan Kelly and eventually DePape in the extra session.
"We didn't play with the urgency we needed in order to win in the playoffs," said Calgary head coach Mark Howell. "We have to play fast, but our guys sat back and didn't keep at it. Manitoba deserves credit, they needed to win and they did."
The Bisons were on the brink as they took the ice in the first period but didn't come out with a lot of attack. Both teams played a strong 20 minutes of defence, but it was Calgary who scored first. Off a face-off in the offensive zone, Vandane took advantage of a screen and beat
Joe Caligiuri down low. The goal at 1:37 of the first was Vandane's second goal in as many games.
Like Game 1, Manitoba was looking for a big second period to turn the tide. The Bisons got a fortunate bounce at the 10:41 mark of the second as a point shot by Paulsen fooled Kris Lazaruk to tie the game at one. Neither side gave a nudge for the rest of the period as defence dominated the contest.
The Dinos came out with authority in the third period and regained the lead on a power play goal at 2:43. With tired legs out for Manitoba, killing their second-straight penalty, fifth-year rearguard Pritz went coast-to-coast, weaving past a defenceman before tucking a shot past Caligiuri.
Manitoba refused to go quietly in the third period as they once again knotted the score. On an odd-man rush, Kelly took to the open ice and ripped a shot past the Calgary netminder.
No one else could find the back of the net in regulation after a couple of power plays for each team as the game went beyond regulation.
At 13:05 of overtime, DePape ended the game on an innocent-looking wrist shot from the left side that went over Lazaruk and in. The goal was his second of the playoffs.
Manitoba outshot Calgary 29-27. Caligiuri made 25 saves in the win, while Lazaruk stopped 26 shots.
The Dinos were 1-6 on the power play, while the Bisons went 0-7 on the man advantage.
The best of three-series is now tied 1-1. The deciding game of this series will be played tomorrow night, March 2 at the Father David Bauer Arena. The winner will advance to the conference final and play the Alberta Golden Bears.
Canada West Men's Hockey
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Father David Bauer Arena, Calgary
FINAL
Manitoba 0-1-1-1 – 3
#4 Calgary 1-0-1-0 – 2
The best-of-three series is now tied 1-1.
