VANCOUVER – The Calgary Dinos broke out of a 2-2 third period deadlock scoring twice in the final frame including a final second empty netter for the 4-2 win over the UBC Thunderbirds to clinch the Canada West quarter-final series in the third and deciding game Sunday night at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

Coda Gordon made a quick feed from the corner to Riley Sheen who fired in his fourth of the series for what turned out to be the game winner at the 10:50 mark of the third period. The 'Birds pulled Matt Hewitt for the extra attacker with about a minute and a half remaining but Tim Vanstone found the empty net with just 0.5 seconds on the clock.



The game was tight from start to finish but the Dinos struck first 7:22 into the opening frame. Logan Fisher tipped a Dylan Busenius shot for his first goal of the playoffs, Chris Rauckman picked up the second assist.

But the Thunderbirds picked themselves up and were the better team in the second half of the period. The 'Birds got rewarded with five minutes remaining when Tyler Sandhu wristed the puck from the slot past Calgary goaltender Matthew Greenfield tying the game at one. Jerret Smith and Joe Carvalho got the assists.

UBC took their first lead of the game midway through the second with Sandhu's second of the contest and third of the series. Nick Buonassisi made a gorgeous backhand feed from below the goal line out to Sandhu who finished his first Canada West playoff series with a team leading four points.
 

We're all tied up at 2 after 2 in Game 3 of the @CanadaWest QF. @TySandhu19 with his 2nd of the game for the 'Birds pic.twitter.com/BOJbGFVsDI

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) February 19, 2018

Four minutes later the Dinos responded to tie the game once again on a strange deflection when a Drydn Dow shot went off Brayden Sherbinin at the side of the crease and past Hewitt at the 14:43 mark.

Hewitt finished his final Canada West game with 29 saves as the 'Birds were outshot 33-29. Neither team was able to capitalize on the power play as UBC finished 0-for-4 and the Dinos went 0-for-3.



The game marked the end of three T-Birds' Canada West careers as Hewitt, Buonassisi, and captain Wes Vannieuwenhuizen are set to graduate this spring.

The Dinos series win marks the second straight year they've defeated the T-Birds in the quarter-finals. Calgary will now head to Saskatoon for a Canada West semi final series against the Saskatchewan Huskies starting Friday, February 23.