Peppi Virtanen tallied a goal and an assist against the Calgary Dinos on February 6. (Image Credit: Taylor Duchscher/Huskie Athletics)

By Ryan Flaherty

drama in calgary

Dinos edge Huskies in wild west shootout

Feb 7, 2026 | 12:57 AM

Callaway Park is usually the only place in Calgary where one can ride a rollercoaster but on Friday night, the Huskies women’s hockey team found itself on one at Father David Bauer Arena. Unfortunately for the Huskies, this particular coaster featured more chills than thrills, ending in 7-6 shootout loss to the Calgary Dinos.

The highest-scoring game in Huskies program history had enough twists and turns in the third period alone to rival an amusement park attraction, with the Dogs seeing a three-goal lead slip away before going back in front late only to have the Dinos tie it up once again in the final minute of regulation.

Huskies head coach Steve Kook felt his squad played well enough to win.

“I thought we were the better team tonight. There were a couple of soft goals where we didn’t pick up sticks…but you know we got scored on then we came back and went ahead again,” he said.

“Then we went into six-on-five and we played really good in our zone with their goalie pulled, we block two shots, one goes directly to them. It’s like, what do you do? I thought we played excellent. We’ll take that game for the next three games, doesn’t matter who we play.”

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Entering the weekend with a one-point lead over the Manitoba Bisons for the final playoff spot in the East Division, the Huskies came out firing. Jacquelyne Chief netted her first goal of the season less than four minutes in and after Evelyn Lawrence responded on a Dinos power play, Avery Gottselig pushed the Dogs back in front on a 5-on-4 advantage of their own with her first goal since the season opener.

The Huskies had their power play clicking again late in the second as Peppi Virtanen buried her sixth goal of the season, followed by an even strength marker by Kahlen Wisener that pushed the lead to three. But just before the end of the frame, Shellbrook, Sask., product Brooklin Fry got one back for the home side, making the score 4-2 Huskies after 40 minutes of play.

Wisener restored the three-goal cushion at 7:05 of the third, depositing her own rebound for her team-leading eighth of the year and fourth in the last three games. But the Dinos refused to go away. Kyla Mitenko, the older sister of Huskies rookie Kara Mitenko, trimmed the deficit back to two just over a minute later. Then with under six minutes to play in regulation, Josie McLeod and Jess Martens struck 46 seconds apart, knotting the game at five.

Undaunted, Paris Oleksyn converted a two-on-one pass from Jayde Cadieux to restore the Huskies lead with 90 seconds left. However, the jubilation was short-lived. With Dinos goaltender Amelia Awad on the bench, Calgary got a favourable bounce as a Huskies shot block pinballed right to Brooklyn Anderson, who one-timed it home for the equalizer.

The Dinos were then handed a glorious chance to win the game after Virtanen was whistled for a marginal bodychecking call with 16 seconds left but the Huskies showed their resilience, killing the penalty as it carried over into overtime.

With neither team finding the net in the extra session it was off to the shootout where Anderson put the Dinos in front in round three. Cadieux could not respond for USask and just like that, the ride was over.

The shootout loss coupled with Manitoba’s win over Regina earlier Friday means the Huskies and Bisons are now tied for the third and final playoff berth in the East Division, though Manitoba holds the tiebreaker.

Kook hopes the defeat will galvanize the Huskies ahead of Saturday’s rematch with Calgary.

“I think they’ve been resilient since the beginning of the second half (of the season) and I told them, ‘Hey listen, you’ve gotta be scrappy. Whatever you’re feeling now, just let it fuel you,” he said.

“I fully believe we should have taken this game tonight. If we play that way tomorrow, I’d bet on us.”

Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST (6 p.m. Sask) on Saturday. The game can be heard on the free HuskieFAN app.

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