SASKATOON – Abby Shirley and Shyan Elias each recorded their second goals of the 2019-2020 season to help the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's hockey team defeat the Alberta Pandas by a score of 2-1 at Merlis Belsher Place on Saturday, Oct. 12.
 
After falling in double overtime on Friday night, the Huskies picked up the series split and moved to 2-1-0-1 on the year. Meanwhile, the loss is Alberta's first of the season, as they fall to 2-1-1-0.
 
Shirley and Elias each found the back of the net on the powerplay for Saskatchewan. The man-advantage was the difference on the night with the Huskies was 2-3 on the night. Emma Nutter and Leah Bohlken each tacked on assists.
 
Regan Wright scored the lone goal for Alberta, while Kelsey Tangjerd added a helper.
 
Saskatchewan's Jessica Vance picked up her second win of the season, stopping 32 of 33 shots on the night in a tremendous performance for the fourth-year netminder.
 
Alberta went with Kirsten Chamberlin between the pipes in the second game of the back-to-back, after Halle Oswald picked up the win on Friday night. Chamberlin stopped 20 of 22 shots she faced for the visitors.
 
With the game all scoreless through two periods, the Huskies opened the scoring 1:44 into the third period, as Elias found the back of the net for the second time in as many nights. 
 
But Alberta struck back in the midway through the third period, as Wright received the drop-pass from Tangjerd then weaved into the zone and beat Vance on the glove side.
 
The Wright goal sparked the Pandas and put some wind in their sail, as Alex Poznikoff was sprung on the breakaway, but fortunately for the Huskies, Vance was able to shut the door to keep the game all tied up.
 
However, Saskatchewan's powerplay struck for the second time in the game to re-establish the lead. Shirley took the feed from Bohlken and went short-side over the blocker of Chamberlin to give the third-year forward her second game-winning goal of the season. 
 
Alberta had a chance to tie the game late in the final frame, with 33.4 seconds remaining in the game, but Vance and Saskatchewan were able to hold the visitors off the score sheet to escape with the regulation win.
 
The Huskies will trek west to Lethbridge next weekend for two games against the Pronghorns, while the Pandas will play a home-and-home against the Mount Royal Cougars.
 
All of that action can be watched live on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.