Box Score CALGARY – Jayden Wiens' shootout winner and
Shane Farkas' 18 saves plus seven shootout stops gave the Mount Royal University Cougars a 4-3 win against the University of Calgary Dinos on Saturday at Flames Community Arena.
It was a wildly different atmosphere compared to Thursday's Crowchild Classic at the Saddledome, but Saturday's rematch was equally, if not more important.
"It's a challenge. At the Saddledome, there's all the ruckus and commotion and noise. It kind of shocks your system a little bit," said
Shane Farkas, reflecting on Thursday's game. "And then we come back to our barn. I've had the privilege of going through this four times now, so I understand the transition."
Mount Royal controlled the flow of the game throughout the first period, but Dinos' netminder Carl Stankowski rose to each Cougar chance.
Josh Tarzwell nearly opened the scoring when he came up with a deceptive takeaway that put him on a breakaway. Tarzwell was unable to get off a clean shot, as he pleaded with the official for a hooking call.
Although the Cougars were outplaying Calgary, the Dinos were first to light the lamp.
Vaughn Watterodt was called for a kneeing penalty, sending Calgary to the powerplay.Â
Third-year winger Brendan Lee got his seventh goal of the year by successfully tracking the puck and jamming it across the line in a chaotic scramble in front of Farkas.
The Cougars had numerous chances to get one themselves but could not close the deal. They went 0-for-3 on the powerplay in the first period.Â
The Dinos took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Mount Royal came out blazing to start the second.Â
Justin Lies scored just 51 seconds into the period to tie it at one. Less than a minute after the equalizer, Lies' fellow former Saskatoon Blade
Jayden Wiens executed a perfect redirection off
Tanner Komzak's hard shot-pass.
As the period continued, the Cougars were plagued by penalties and the Dinos made them pay.
Rookie centreman Hayden Pakkala scored twice on the powerplay for Calgary, including a bardown snipe to put them ahead 3-2.
The Dinos held the all-important lead heading into the final 20 minutes.Â
Midway through the third, the Cougars levelled the score once again.
Michael Ladyman got his second goal of the season with a hard wrister from the faceoff dot.
60 minutes of regulation would not deliver a winner.Â
In three-on-three overtime, Stankowski and Farkas would stand tall, and a shootout was needed.
In the shootout, the first six shooters would not convert. Stankowski would not be forced to make a save until the fifth MRU shooter. Farkas was phenomenal, stopping all seven shooters that he faced.
Farkas knew the job he had to do and stayed in the zone through all seven Calgary shooters. The veteran netminder offered some insight through his perspective.
"I don't think this is a unique perspective–there's probably a lot of goalies that think the same way. I don't even watch what we're doing [in the shootout]," said Farkas. "Whether we score or not, it doesn't change what I'm doing. I try to stay in the moment but I know it's going to end eventually, so I try to not let up or ease up."
Jayden Wiens would be the lone scorer, ripping one over the pad of Stankowski.
The victory gave Mount Royal the sweep over the Dinos and the win in the season series.
Next weekend, the Cougars will be scoreboard watching while on a bye week as the Dinos take on the Saskatchewan Huskies. The three team race for the East division crown is on track to come right down to the end of the Canada West season.Â