LETHBRIDGE, AB – For the fourth year in a row the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey team has advanced to the semifinal stage of the U SPORTS University Cup after they defeated the Guelph Gryphons by a score of 6-1 Thursday afternoon in Lethbridge, AB.  
 
"It's the game that makes all of the coaches the most anxious with the one-and-done format," said Huskies head coach Dave Adolph. "I'm thankful we were on the right end of that. We had a great first period that set the tone for the game and kudos to our guys."
 
The main difference in the game came on special teams, as the Huskies went three-for-six on the power play and killed off both of the Gryphons power play opportunities.
 
"Specialty teams and goaltending is probably going to be the difference, especially in a one-game knockout championship like this and our special teams were a little bit dead in the last game of the Canada West Final so we got a little life and hopefully that continues," said Adolph.
 
Carson Stadnyk led the way with two goals in the game, while Logan McVeigh, Evan Fiala, Levi Cable and Wyatt Johnson each added one goal apiece.
 
Collin Shirley was named the Huskies' player of the game after recording assists on four of the Huskies' six goals.
 
"You have to give Guelph a lot of credit, they played a hard game and came out in that second period and gave us a push," said Shirley. "For us it was about not worrying about Guelph too much and just focusing on how we play and the way we take care of business and I thought we did a good job of that in the first and third periods especially."
 
Taran Kozun, who was named U SPORTS Goaltender of the Year at the awards gala last night, made 31 saves for the win.
 
The Huskies came out of the gates with pressure and were almost instantly rewarded.
 
Just over two minutes into the game McVeigh was the recipient of a beautiful touch-pass from Kohl Bauml and the fourth-year forward shovelled the puck into an open net for the first goal of the 2019 University Cup.
 
That lead was doubled with just seven minutes left in the opening frame.
 
Shirley went in on the forcheck and stole the puck from a Gryphons defenceman before spotting a wide open Fiala. The rookie from Saskatoon fired over the glove of Andrew Masters in the Gryphons net for his first goal as a Huskie.
 
Saskatchewan carried that two-goal advantage into the first intermission.
 
The Huskies power play struck again early in the second period after Shirley moved the puck back-door to an open Stadnyk for his first of two goals on the night.
 
From there the Gryphons rebounded however, and played their best hockey of the night through the middle section of the second period.
 
Stephen Templeton scored the lone goal for Ontario squad and the damage could have been worse were it not for some great saves from Kozun.
 
"Guelph played really well in that second period to give them an opportunity, I thought in the first ten minutes of that second period Taran Kozun allowed us to escape," said Adolph.
 
Saskatchewan put the game away with six minutes left in the second when a point-shot from Jesse Forsberg was tipped in by Johnson.
 
With the score 4-1 through two periods, Saskatchewan made sure to remove any threat of a comeback with goals from Cable and Stadnyk.
 
Next up for the Huskies will be a semifinal game against either the Alberta Golden Bears or host Lethbridge Pronghorns at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 and can be watched live on Sportsnet 360.