EDMONTON – Just one night after a 5-2 victory over the reigning national champion Alberta Golden Bears, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies found themselves on the other end of a lopsided score-line in a 5-1 defeat in Edmonton, AB on Sept. 30.
Taylor Cooper scored twice for Alberta, while Sawyer Lange, Steven Owre, and Clayton Kirichenko also found the net. Carson Stadnyk tallied the lone marker for Saskatchewan.
It was a game that was largely dominated by special teams, particularly for the Bears in the second period. The two rivals combined to go 0-14 on the powerplay. Not only was their man advantage not finding opportunities, but the Huskies also forfeited a pair of shorthanded goals to Alberta in the second frame.
Lange opened the scoring midway through the first, beating Huskie goalie Taran Kozun from distance with an awkward shot that handcuffed the second year.. Cooper doubled the Alberta lead late in the first, as he drove wide around the Saskatchewan defence, before pulling the puck around Kozun in tight for the beautiful finish.
The two teams combined for 56 penalty minutes in the second period alone, with the trademark fierceness showing up between the two powerhouse programs. The Huskies had five powerplay opportunities in the second frame alone, but not only managed to come away empty, but saw their deficit increase.
Cooper potted his second of the night shorthanded, beating Kozun five hole off a breakaway created by a turnover at the Bears blueline. Owre gave Alberta a commanding 4-0 lead, beating Kozun with an absolute laser just 25 seconds later, also while the Huskies were on the powerplay.
Kirichenko's tally five minutes later capped off a wild second period for the Bears, ripping in a one-timer off a feed from Cooper on a three-on-one rush.
Standnyk put Saskatchewan on the board in the final minutes of the second, beating Sawchenko off a fantastic solo effort from in tight.
The Bears defence held up tremendously well in the third, allowing just three shots from the Huskies in the final frame. Sawchenko stopped all three with ease, giving the Bears their first win of the season.
Both teams will have one week off from conference play, the Huskies will be back in action for their first ever games inside the brand new Merlis Belsher Place on Oct. 12 &13 against the Calgary Dinos.
