Lethbridge – On the back of a 25 save performance of Crystal Patterson the Lethbridge Pronghorns shutout the CIS #4 Calgary Dinos 1-0 in the front half of a home-and-home series.

Boxscore

It was Patterson’s second consecutive shutout and 1-0 victory. The ‘Horns shutout the Saskatchewan Huskies 1-0, last Saturday night, and Patterson has run her shutout streak to over 132 minutes.

Patterson was tested early by the Dinos, who were eager to notch the game’s first goal. Denying a quick shot by Calgary forward, Bronwyn Stevens, on the doorstep and denying an aggressive attempt by Iya Gavrilova, who also got in close and tried to find a rebound; Patterson was forced to react quickly and she did just that.

But it was Lethbridge who drew first blood. Shelby Ballendine, taking a stretch pass from Jenna-Marie Durnin, managed to create a breakaway opportunity. Out-skating the Dino’s defence, Ballendine rose to the occasion, beating Calgary’s Amanda Tapp, glove side.

Calgary pressed on, outshooting the ‘Horns 11-4 in an offensively lop-sided first period, including a blistering wrist shot by Sinead Tracey off an offensive zone faceoff win late in the period, but nothing would get by Patterson.

The second period of play saw both teams battling for the difference-maker. Exchanging offensive opportunities and the shots in the second period were closer with the Dinos holding a 10-8 advantage.

Midway through the third, a scoring chance by Lethbridge looked like it had beaten Tapp, but was immediately ruled no goal, increasing the already heightened tension leading into the last minutes of play.

Holding strong, despite a huge push from Calgary in the final minutes of play, Patterson earned her third shut-out of the regular season. The Pronghorns remain undefeated at home, improve to 4-1-0 (CW) while handing the Dinos their first loss in regulation this season, falling to 2-1-0 (CW).

The back half of the home-and-home series goes tomorrow night at Father David Bauer Arena, puck drops at 7:00pm.