Dinos killer – Huskies’ Stadnyk does in U of C in double OT

Carson Stadnyk, right, reacts to his double OT winner on Saturday.

    Who else would you expect to do in the University of Calgary Dinos but Carson Stadnyk?

    On Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place, Stadnyk and his University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team went into double overtime against the Dinos locked in a 4-4 tie in Game 2 of a best-of-three Canada West semifinal series.

    Just 77 seconds into the second overtime frame, Stadnyk got the puck in the Dinos zone off a turnover, circled across the front of the U of C net and fired home the winning goal through a screen to give the Huskies a 5-4 victory.

    The goal from the fourth-year right-winger sent the crowd of 1,647 spectators at Merlis into bedlam and allowed the Huskies to sweep the best-of-three series 2-0.

    “We were all getting tired and so were they,” said Stadnyk. “We just got the one extra bounce.

Carson Stadnyk is mobbed by his teammates after his double OT winner.

    “We just couldn’t be more happy right now.”

    With the win, the Huskies advance to the best-of-three Canada West champions series to play the winner of the other best-of-three Canada West semifinal series between the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and the University of Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton, Alta.

    The Thunderbirds and Golden Bears are tied in 1-1 in their best-of-three set with Game 3 slated for Sunday in Edmonton. The Golden Bears, who are rated fourth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, topped the Canada West regular season standings with a 23-5 record, while the Thunderbirds finished fifth with a 9-14-4-1 mark.

The celebration continues after Carson Stadnyk’s double OT winner.

    U of S also earns a berth for the fifth straight year to the U Sports elite eight national championship tournament – the David Johnston University Cup. The David Johnston University Cup runs March 12 to 15 in Halifax, N.S.

    Saturday’s game wasn’t the first time Stadnyk broke the hearts of the Dinos in the post-season. When the Huskies and Dinos previously met in the post-season in a Canada West semifinal series in 2018, a series-deciding Game 3 was required.

    With the two squads locked in a 1-1 tie in that Game 3 played at the Huskies former home in the ancient Rutherford Rink, Stadnyk broke the deadlock scoring the game and series winner with 24 seconds remaining in the third period. The Huskies added an empty-net goal to seal a 3-1 victory in that contest.

Merlis Belsher Place was feeling good after Carson Stadnyk’s winner.

    In the latest clash on Saturday, the Huskies held a 4-1 lead at one point in the second period before the Dinos rallied to even things up at 4-4 and force overtime.

    “When we were up by three, they worked their way back and made a comeback,” said Stadnyk, who had an assist to go with his goal. “That was pretty tough on us.

    “We just had to do what we do best. We just had to watch their top players, because they have a lot of good players over there. Our guys who had that responsibility did their job.

    “We just came out lucky, and we are just happy to be moving on.”

Carson Stadnyk had a goal and an assist for the Huskies on Saturday.

    Huskies head coach Dave Adolph was pleased to see Stadnyk net the winner after giving a strong effort on Saturday night. The veteran bench boss was reminded about the 2018 series with the Dinos at game’s end.

    “That was the first thing the guys said it was Stadnyk that got it two years ago,” said Adolph. “He had about four or five great looks tonight that didn’t go in, and I thought Shirls (Collin Shirley) had a couple too.

    “That is the way hockey goes. I am glad we are on the right end of it.”

    As for the rest of the game itself, the Huskies jumped ahead 1-0 at the 3:47 mark of the first period thanks to a gaff by Dinos sophomore defenceman James Shearer. Shearer had the puck behind his own net, and he tried to fire a pass up the centre of the ice.

    He put the puck right on the tape of the stick of Huskies right-winger Jeff Faith, who quickly fired home the gift for the contest’s opening goal.

The Huskies celebrate a first period goal from Jeff Faith (#5).

    At the 9:22 mark of the opening frame, the Dinos evened things up at 1-1, when rookie right-winger Kaden Elder scored on a two-man advantage.

    The Huskies caught a break 50 seconds into the second when Dinos defenceman Jake Kearley received a double minor for spearing.

    At the 2:18 mark of the second, the Huskies scored on the power play to go ahead 2-1, when second-year centre Donovan Neuls fired home a shot from the right slot after receiving a beauty set up pass from linemate Kohl Bauml.

    Shirley, who is a standout left-winger, extended the Huskies advantage to 3-1 tucking home a goal close in at the left side of the Dinos net at the 5:57 mark of the second.

    Just under three minutes later working again in the Dinos zone, Shirley slipped a pass across the face of the U of C goal to rookie centre Jared Dmytriw, who popped a tally to put the host side up 4-1.

Collin Shirley had a goal and an assist for the Huskies on Saturday.

    If it appeared the issue was sealed, the Dinos pushed back with goals coming from the sticks of Dane Gibson and Tim Vanstone to cut the Huskies lead to 4-3 heading into the second intermission.

    With 1.7 seconds remaining in the second, a huge scrum developed after one of the Huskies players was dropped with an elbow by one of the Dinos players. The Huskies came out of that with a two-minute power play but were unable to score on that man advantage.

    In the third, Dinos defenceman Ryan Gagnon worked his way in front of the net, and he netted the goal that created a 4-4 tie and forced overtime.

    “Tip your hat to the University of Calgary,” said Adolph. “That is a really good team.

Some of supporters for Huskies D Evan Fiala in the crowd on Saturday.

    “I don’t know that there is anybody that is as physical and greasy as they are. That is a team that is pretty worthy of probably playing in a national championship.”

    In the first overtime period, both sides had solid chances to end the game. Huskies start goaltender Taran Kozun robbed Vanstone with a glove save.

    Huskies fifth-year right winger Levi Cable looked like he would snipe the winner, but Dinos goalie Matthew Greenfield got his glove hand on a piece of Cable’s shot to direct the puck just wide of the goal.

Ryan Gagnon had the equalizer for the Dinos on Saturday.

    Cable was playing in his 173^rd consecutive game for the Huskies on Saturday including action in the U Sports regular season and post-season. He has never missed a game with the Huskies.

    Everything that happened in the contest to that point set the stage for Stadnyk to get the winner in the second overtime.

    Kozun stopped 29 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Huskies. Greenfield turned away 26 shots to take the setback in goal for the Dinos.
    Saturday’s win was the 13th straight for the Huskies including action in the regular season and post-season.

    The Huskies, who are rated second in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, finished second in the Canada West regular season standings with a 22-4-2 record, while the Dinos, who are rated eighth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, were third in Canada West with an 18-7-3 mark.

Levi Cable (#10) almost had the winner in the first overtime period.

    Adolph thought the series with the Dinos would be a good one and the two teams delivered.

    “There are ice bags everywhere,” said Adolph. “I think both teams were just absolutely punished here.

    “I really respect (Dinos head coach) Mark Howell as a coach, and I really respect the Dinos as a program. I just hope that we always finish on the winning side, because that one could have gone either way tonight.”

    Stadnyk said his team is excited to be returning to U Sports nationals for a fifth straight year. Before that rolls around, Stadnyk would love it if the Huskies could win their first Canada West title since the 2015-16 campaign.

    If the Thunderbirds win against the Golden Bears on Sunday, the Huskies would host the Canada West championship series. If the Golden Bears win on Sunday, the Huskies would travel to Edmonton to play the Canada West final.

The Huskies salute the crowd at Merlis Belsher Place.

    “Hopefully, we get that chance to do it this time around,” said Stadnyk. “Whoever we play going forward, hopefully, we have a good chance.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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