Warming up the ice

By Lindsay Gerstmar and Andrea Poupart

The Dinos women’s hockey team’s pre-season ended with a tourney at the University of Saskatchewan where things were looking up. With a 2-1 third period loss to the hometown Huskies and a hard-fought game against the University of Regina Cougars, the Dinos were blossoming into a meadow of beautiful flowers.

Alas, the fall’s frost hit with a loss to the younger, stronger Saskatchewan U18 team, wilting their petals. But back in Calgary, a Chinook promised milder weather.

“We are getting better with every period we play,” said captain Candace Drouin, who has never seen a group of girls work so hard.

The regular season opened Oct. 21-22 with Dinos facing off against the Grant MacEwan College Griffins in a home series. The home opener went the way no one had hoped. The result was a 3-0 loss.

On Saturday night, Christina DeSouza scored the Dinos’ first goal of the season as they fell 5-1 to the Griffins.

“It was a tough loss,” said new Dino Jen Cabana. “However, we were playing really well at the end of the game and our work ethic is going to start paying off.”

“As the weekend progressed, even though the score didn’t show it, we played better as a team,” former Mount Royal College goaltender and the night’s Player of the Game Natty Gerstmar agreed. “Hopefully this will carry on to our games against Red Deer.”

The Dinos shall see in a home-and-home series with the Red Deer College Queens.

“I think we are going to do great,” promised Drouin. “We are all in damn good shape!”

Come cheer on the Dinos Sat., Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Olympic Oval.