Dinos’ power play burns Dogs
By Darren Zary of The StarPhoenix
Dinos 5, Huskies 3
The Theory of Revolution — that is, revolution against the evolution of hockey — was tested Friday night.
With the University of Saskatchewan Huskies up in arms about the strict refereeing, the visiting University of Calgary Dinos took advantage on their way to a power play-aided 5-3 win in Canada West conference men’s hockey action at Rutherford Rink.
There’s strength in numbers, you see.
“You’re not going to win too many games in a penalty fest,” said Saskatchewan coach Dave Adolph, fuming mad. “We said their power play was dangerous and we gave them ample opportunity to prove it.”
Calgary improved its Canada West record to 5-2. Saskatchewan is 4-3. The teams meet again tonight at 7 p.m. at Rutherford.
The Dinos — embarrassed by a 9-1 whipping by the Huskies during pre-season action at Rutherford Rink — avenged that loss in spades.
The only saving grace for the Huskies was the play of second-year goalie Jeff Harvey. He made a number of outstanding saves while not getting much help most of the night in the D-zone.
Saskatchewan — without its two top defencemen, Derek Endicott and Stephen Mann — had four rookies on the blue-line.
It was an ugly win as much as it was an ugly loss.
Until now, the Dinos haven’t had much luck in the Old Barn.
“No kidding,” Calgary coach Scott Atkinson said. “We were just a better team. It was an odd game. Neither team really got anything going. With the way the rules are applied, it’s very difficult to get any momentum — for either team. The game was sluggish.”
The Huskies scored first and they scored late — with three seconds left in the first period and seven seconds remaining in the second period — but didn’t score often enough.
Greg Park opened the scoring for the Dogs with a power-play goal, but the Dinos replied with three unanswered power-play goals — two with a two-man advantage — to take a 3-1 lead.
Saskatchewan cut Calgary’s lead to 3-2 on a weird goal from the corner, credited to rookie Brett Novak.
In the second frame, Huskies rookie D-man Chris O’Connor — seeing his first action of the regular season — misplayed the puck in front of goalie Harvey and scored on his own net.
Then, rookie defenceman Evan Schafer coughed up the puck and Jarret Lukin capitalized for Dinos with a short-handed marker. That made it 5-2 for the Dinos.
Keegan McAvoy fired one past Calgary netminder Jordan McLaughlin with seven seconds left in the second frame.
Lukin, with two, Alex Lalonde, Conlan Seder and former Saskatoon midget AAA Contact winger Aaron Richards scored for Calgary, which was 3-for-14 on the power play. Saskatchewan was 1-for-11.
DOG TALES: F Trent Adamus, who had been sidelined by injury, made his season debut Friday for the Dogs . . . Dinos F Jarret Lukin and Harvey are featured on Global TV’s Making the Cut: Last Man Standing. dzary@sp.canwest.com
