Box Score Lethbridge – The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns were dealt a rough loss, Friday night, at the hands of the University of Calgary Dinos, who combined for four power play goals en route to a commanding 9-1 win, in the first half of a two-game home and home series.
Spencer Edwards, Kevin King, and Dylan Walchuck each earned individual markers for the Dinos while Elgin Pearce added two of his own and finished the night with three points. Aspen Sterzer led the way for Calgary, netting a total of four markers on the night, including two on the power play.
Justin Valentino scored the lone goal for Lethbridge.
Kris Lazarak got the start for Calgary and looked strong between the pipes, turning aside all but one of the 27 shots he faced, while Lethbridge's Damien Ketlo saw a total of 46 shots on the night.
Calgary struck first, at 3:12. Chance Lund put a great shot on target and Edwards was ready at the hash marks to redirect his shot into the net, past the Lethbridge keeper.
Tim Campbell and Brent Henke each had a couple of good scoring chances with an early man-advantage but neither would manage to convert.
Calgary continued to push the pace offensively. Into the zone with speed, Walchuck's first effort was turned aside but he was given another chance and managed to convert on his second effort. His hard wrister found a slim line through a maze of bodies, high top shelf, over Ketlo's glove-side shoulder to put the Dinos up 2-0.
With Lethbridge's Valentino in the box for hooking, Drydn Dow unloaded a hard blast from just inside the blue line and King, in perfect position beside the net, got his stick on it to redirect it in over the line. His seventh goal of the season widened his team's lead to three and with less than one minute remaining the opening frame, Sterzer notched his first of the contest, coming in off the wing and beating Ketlo glove-side with a well-placed wrist shot.
The Dinos extended their lead to five less than two minutes into the second. With a flurry of bodies packed in around the Lethbridge net-minder, Sterzer added his second of the night, courtesy of Spencer Edwards and Christopher Collins.
After struggling to materialize many scoring chances in the first, Lethbridge net their first of the night shortly before the midway point of the second. With Cason Machacek serving time for interference, a misplayed puck in the neutral zone saw Valentino break out all alone with a shorthanded breakaway chance. The first-year winger rose to the occasion and, with a quick deke, put one past Lazaruk.
Pearce added a sixth goal late in the second, a low glove-side bullet that soared across the line.
With just over six minutes left to play, Lazaruk made a show-stopper of a save on Valentino, on the doorstep, eager to add a late marker. Down on his knees, the Calgary net-minder stayed with him all the way and when Valentino tried to lift it up and over his shoulder, he flashed the glove on his way down to the ice to make the stop.
Pearce added his second of the night, for Calgary, at 17:45 and, not to be outdone, Stetzer added his third and fourth goals of the night, back-to-back, moments later, bringing the final tally to 9-1.
With this win the Dinos improve to 17-8-0 while the Pronghorns fall to 4-21-0. Game two of the weekend series goes tomorrow night in Calgary, at Father David Bauer Arena.
