With a date in the Canada West playoffs secured, Valentine's Day at Wayne Fleming Arena was about celebrating the Bisons six graduating players, who were the stars in the Saturday afternoon matinee.
Hanna Bailey's two goals, including one off a beautiful deke and top shelf wrister were the difference, with
Julia Bird chipping in her 12
th of the season and
Emily Shippam recording the shutout between the pipes give the Bisons a healthy dose of momentum entering the Canada West playoffs.
Norah Collins also found the back of the net for her 10
th of the season, a reward for a weekend of tremendous offensive work that finally resulted in her lighting the lamp. Alysa Rasmuson added in with her third of the season late in the third period to extend the Bisons lead to five.
Calgary's standout performer was easily first-year goalie Maisie Cope, who despite the score, kept the Dinos competitive all game long with tremendous saves that came from all angles. The Dinos offense struggled to support the stellar work of their goaltender, and failed to sustain any sort of offensive pressure, with their first shot of the contest not coming until deep in the first period.
The Bisons offense came out of the gate flying in the first period and never relented. High-quality scoring chances up and down the Bisons lineup kept Cope on her heels, but she came up with clutch saves including in-tight chances from
Aimee Patrick and
Dana Goertzen. The Bisons found the back of the net for the first time on a
Hanna Bailey seeing-eye wrister from the point, good enough for her fourth goal in her final season with the Bisons.
The Dinos were unable to muster any offense throughout the entire period, registering only one shot on net versus 15 by the Bisons. The Dinos went to the power play for the first time in the contest at the 12-minute mark, but the best chance belonged to the Bisons penalty kill with
Julia Bird just missing the short side.
Calgary's offense came to life early in the second period, generating their first and only sustained pressure of the game.
Emily Shippam was forced to make two big saves early in the period to maintain the lead. The Bisons offense took over after that, where Cope stood on her head to rob high-danger scoring chances from all of
Norah Collins, Jessica Haner,
Julia Bird, and
Kelsey Huibers all on high-danger chances mere feet from the net, flashing leather on the Huibers chance.
Hanna Bailey once again displayed her goal-hunting prowess from the point, turning a Dino forward inside out before roofing a point shot high over Cope's shoulder for her second of the contest and doubling the Bisons lead.
The Bisons were out for the kill in the third period, with Collins being turned away on a partial break early on. Back-to-back goals from Bird and Collins, followed by a tap in from Rasmuson, put the exclamation mark on a dominant offensive performance. Bailey found herself on the scoresheet again, assisting on the Bird goal for her third point of the evening, earning first star honors.
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