VANCOUVER - The Calgary Dinos (9-5-2) picked up a weekend split with a 4-1 victory over the UBC Thunderbirds (5-10-1) Saturday night at Father Bauer Arena in Vancouver.
A pair of second period power play goals by the Dinos were the difference as the visitors took control of a 1-0 game with a dominant middle frame.
Brett O'Malley had a pair of goals for the visitors including what turned out to be the game winner early in the second period.
The fifth-year forward gave the Dinos a 2-0 lead at the 1:55 mark of the second with a one-timer from the slot on a Calgary power play that beat UBC goalie
Jordan White.
Reid Jorgensen added to the Dino lead on a 5-on-3 just over halfway through the second, banging home a bouncing puck in front that went up and over the scrum in front of White and just over the goal line.
White, a rookie with the T-Birds, made 18 saves in the loss while his counterpart Dustin Butler came up big in the third period making 14 of his 22 saves over the final 20 minutes.
O'Malley opened the scoring in the last minute of the first period jamming home a rebound off a Calgary point shot past White. Teagen Moore added the other Calgary goal late as there was some confusion in the T-Bird zone that allowed him to put the puck into an empty net with just seconds left on the clock.
Tyler Ruel, who picked up a hat trick last night, got the T-Birds lone goal with just 48 seconds left in the game on a UBC power play. The third year forward hammered a one timer from the slot top corner to ruin Butler's shutout effort.
The T-Birds open the second half of their schedule with a pair of exhibition games against McGill January 2 and 3 at Father Bauer Arena. UBC begins Canada West play the following weekend with a home series against the Regina Cougars while the Dinos and Alberta Golden Bears face-off in a home and home series.
-30-
