Sold out Saddledome awaits Dinos, Cougars at Crowchild Classic
Women drop the puck at 4:30 p.m., men to follow at 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 31, 2025 - One of the fiercest rivalries in all of U SPORTS.
A sold out Saddledome on a Friday night.
Does it get any better than this?
The 11th annual Crowchild Classic returns tonight, as the University of Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal Cougars hockey teams renew their rivalry on Saddledome ice.
The game has been announced as a sellout, with thousands of passionate UofC and MRU supporters ready to rock the 'Dome in one of the most anticipated annual events on the Canada West calendar.
The hockey doubleheader begins with women’s game at 4:30 p.m. MT, followed by the men's match at 7:30 p.m. MT.
The games are available to stream live on CanadaWest.TV. Telus Optik TV customers can also watch both games free on channel 1997 as featured Telus Games of the Week.
WHKY: Dinos and Cougars set to battle on 'Dome ice
Watch on Canada West TV | Live Stats
It's been a tale of contrasting seasons for the Dinos and Cougars, but fans can always count on a close contest when these two programs meet on the big stage.
MRU (15-4-3) has lost just four games in regulation all season long, led by dynamic fourth year forward Aliya Jomha, who sits fifth in conference scoring with 19 points. The Cougars have already secured a postseason berth and sit firmly in second place in the West Division standings.
Cougars goaltender Kaitlyn Ross has been key to the team's success, sporting an incredible 1.28 GAA and a 10-1-2 record.
On the other end of the ice, it's been a year of growing pains for a young Dinos squad, who head into the annual marquee game with a 6-14-2 record. Brooklyn Anderson has paced the team offensively. She's currently tied for sixth in conference goal scoring with nine tallies.
Calgary holds a 7-3 edge in the big Crowchild Classic game, including winning four of the last five matchups at the 'Dome. That includes a 2-0 shutout win in last year's game.
The two teams have met four times already this season in conference play, with MRU claiming the last three contests.
MHKY: Cougars look to continue recent success over Dinos
Watch on Canada West TV | Live Stats
Both the Dinos and Cougars men's teams have already clinched a Canada West playoff spot, but there's still plenty on the line as the teams renew acquaintances on 'Dome ice.
The Dinos enter with an 12-8-2 record and will be eager to take down the Cougars for the first time this season, having fallen in all four previous head-to-head matchups. Each game has been tightly contested, with the Cougars winning two of the games by a single goal.
For MRU, Friday night is not only an opportunity to continue their recent Dino dominance, but also a chance to leap into first place in the West Division standings. The second place Cougars (17-5) trail UBC by one point with two games in hand, and can leapfrog the idle Thunderbirds for first place with a win.
The Cougars are loaded with potent offensive threats, led by star defenceman Clay Hanus. The third year has been spectacular again this season, leading the conference in scoring with 34 points in 22 games, including 11 goals.
Reigning Canada West and U SPORTS Player of the Year Connor Bouchard will also be a player to watch, having racked up 24 assists in 22 games this season. He's continuing to heat up in the new year, tallying 11 points in his last six games.
For the Dinos, forward Colson Gengenbach has led the attack with 11 goals and 11 helpers in 20 games played. He recently returned from helping Team Canada win a gold medal at the FISU World University Games in Turin, Italy.
Expect a close contest as six of the previous ten Crowchild Classic encounters have gone to extra time, including last year's shootout win by MRU. The Dinos and Cougars are tied at 5-5 in the all-time series.