CAMPUS PREVIEW: Hockey's Crowchild Classic to light up Dome
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Hockey’s Crowchild Classic is just hours from being back on the big stage in Calgary.
That’s the big saddle in the Beltline.
Back after a two-year pause due to COVID, the puck drops Friday on the Crowchild Classic — hosted by the NHL’s Calgary Flames — at the Scotiabank Saddledome, marking a return to the way the annual celebration of university hockey should be showcased in the city.
It is the largest gathering of students in Calgary each year and will once again feature a hockey doubleheader, with the women’s game set for 4 p.m. and the men to follow at 6:45 p.m.
“We are really excited that the Crowchild Classic is back,” said Dinos women’s team head coach Carla MacLeod. “Undoubtedly, both programs circle this date on their calendars because of how fun the event is. The natural rivalry is always entertaining, but playing the game at the Dome with our fellow Dinos filling the crowd is a unique experience and one that we all look forward to. These are moments you want to take in and enjoy. This game is a perk of being a Dino.”
MacLeod and her Dinos (11-8-3) will take on the crosstown rival Mount Royal Cougars (14-5-3) in the much-hyped contest.
The Dinos are on a five-game winning streak, while the Cougars are on a four-game losing skid. However, Calgary sits in fifth place in Canada West, while Mount Royal is in third as they both look to clinch a top-six finish and playoff spot. Separated by six points, this weekend’s two-game set will be important for both teams in determining post-season seedings.
“Our group has been focused on our task at hand this second half, and that won’t change,” MacLeod said. “Once the puck is dropped, it is another opportunity to grow our game and ensure we are executing our details to the level we want. There’s a lot of positive energy going into this week. We are looking forward to the weekend.”
In last Saturday’s game against the Regina Cougars, rookie forward Sydney Mercier had a great showing and earned herself her first hat trick as a Dino and helped to secure a 4-3 win. The goals pushed her to 17 points this season (8g, 9a), and has propelled her to third in points on her team and 11th in the conference.
Cougars captain Tatum Amy continues to lead the conference in points and is fifth in the nation, with seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points. This comes despite the fact she has missed the last four games. Amy was selected to represent Canada in women’s hockey at the 2023 FISU Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Calgary netminder Gabriella Durante continues to top the U SPORTS list in saves, racking up 536 this season in 21 games. In this past weekend’s two-game set against the Cougars, Durante came up big and made a total of 52 saves, with 34 of those in the Saturday contest alone. The next closest keeper in the CW saves standings sits at 489 entering the weekend, while third place is a distant 411.
In the men’s matchup of the Crowchild Classic, the No. 1 University of Calgary Dinos (19-3-0) will be looking to make history as they head into the marquee game on a 17-game win streak to face the fourth-ranked Mount Royal Cougars (16-3-3).
The Dinos have been on an absolute tear for seemingly the entire season. With last weekend’s impressive 8-2 win over the Regina Cougars, this year’s squad officially cemented their place within Canada West hockey history, tying the conference record for consecutive wins, originally set by the Alberta Golden Bears during the 1978-79 season. The Dinos’ magical streak began back on Oct. 14, when they came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Cougars. Interestingly, MRU is also the last team to have defeated Calgary, winning 7-2 the night before the streak began.
While much has been made about the Dinos amazing season, and for good reason, MRU has also enjoyed success. The Cougars are on a four-game win streak, including two wins over fifth-ranked Alberta, and sit second in the conference, six points behind the Dinos.
The last Crowchild Classic took place in 2020 and lived up to the hype and then some. MRU went on to defeat Calgary in double overtime after a last-minute goal from Calgary tied the game 4-4. In 2019, the Dinos were able to complete the comeback, scoring two goals in the third period to earn a 2-1 victory. While the two teams have split the first eight games played inside the Dome, Calgary has gotten the better of MRU overall, holding a 21-14 conference record. However, there is not much that has separated the two rivals as of late, as the two have split the series dating back to the start of last season.
The Cougars have the top two point-getters in Canada West. forward Riley Sawchuk leads Canada West in all three major categories of points (43), goals (18) and assists (25) and is the only player to have eclipsed 40 points so far this season. Remarkably, Sawchuk has achieved this in just 21 games. Forward Nolan Yaremko has also put together an impressive season of his own, tallying 38 points. The Dinos have a much more balanced attack, with multiple players producing at a high rate. Second-year forward Riley Stotts leads Calgary in assists with 19 and second-year forward Jake Gricius leads the team in goals with 12.
Dinos netminder Carl Tetachuk has been incredible. Tetachuk ranks first in Canada West in both wins (14) and shutouts (two). Tetachuk is also third in save percentage at .907. The Cougars have two goalies worthy of praise, as both Riley Sims and Jackson Berry have six wins while splitting time between the pipes this season. Sims ranks second in both GAA (2.00) and save percentage (.910).
Tickets are available for the Scotiabank Saddledome game at godinos.com/cc.
Following Friday’s contest, the teams will face each other once more Saturday, with puck drop set for the women at 6 p.m. at Father David Bauer Arena and for the men at 7 p.m. at the Flames Community Arena.
TRACK & FIELD: Dinos host final home meet Sunday
The Dinos’ track and field team will look to continue its strong start to the season this weekend, taking part in a pair of meets.
The action starts Friday in Saskatchewan, where a number of Dinos have been invited to take part in the return of the prestigious Knights of Columbus Indoor Games.
Back in Calgary, the Dinos will host their third and final home meet of the season Sunday with the running of the annual Dinos Classic Sunday morning from the Jack Simpson Gym.
“Starting the weekend in Saskatchewan, it’s just a cool opportunity for part of our team to go to the ‘K of C Games’,” said Dinos head coach Jessica Zelinka. “It’s a big meet against some of the best talent possible, and I think it will be a good experience for our athletes. Back home, we take great pride in being able to host these meets. This is our last home meet of the year, and we’re able to have field events this time, which is very exciting. It’s a great way for us to engage with the community and continue to promote our sport.”
Year-in and year-out, the Dinos have boasted some of the best in the nation across all events, and this year is no different. Through four weeks of competition, Calgary has earned 20 national top-12 rankings, headlined by the women’s 4×200-metre relay and rookie Dawn Richardson Wilson in the 60m achieving the highest Dinos rankings of the week, with both sitting in second in all of U SPORTS.
Calgary continued its strong start to the season in Edmonton last weekend at the Golden Bears Open. Rookies Devon Zuchotzki (men’s 300m) and Dawn Richardson Wilson (women’s 60m) both claimed wins, as did the men’s 4x400m relay to headline a busy two days of action from inside the Butterdome. In all, the Dinos turned in 54 top-10 finishes over the weekend.
Recent Dinos grad Eric Lutz will be honoured as one of the Top 8 Academic All-Canadians for the 2021-22 season this week. The former track and field/cross country standout will head to the nation’s capital (with fellow Dinos talent Rebecca Smith and the other six honourees from U SPORTS’ three other conferences), where this year’s group will be honoured by Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, at Rideau Hall.
The Dinos will have a week off from competition before returning to the track Feb. 10-11 for the Pandas Open in Edmonton. That will serve as the final regular season meet before the Canada West Championships Feb. 24-25 in Saskatoon.
— Christina Pelaccia, Darnell Wyke, Tim Prahl
HOME EVENTS
Women’s Hockey (Canada West)
Friday: Dinos vs. Mount Royal, 4 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome
Saturday: Dinos vs. Mount Royal, 6 p.m., Father David Bauer Arena
Men’s Hockey (Canada West)
Friday: Dinos vs. Mount Royal, 4 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome
Track & Field
Sunday: Dinos Classic, 9:30 a.m., Jack Simpson Gym
AWAY EVENTS
Men’s Hockey (Canada West)
Saturday: Dinos vs. Mount Royal, 7 p.m., Flames Community Arena
Track & Field
Friday: Dinos at Knights of Columbus Indoor Games, Saskatoon
Saturday: Dinos at Knights of Columbus Indoor Games, Saskatoon
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