EDMONTON – The Huskies were back on the road after a few weekends at home to take on the Alberta Pandas.

The loss for the Huskies (3-2-2, 8 points) drops them into fourth in the conference, while the win moves the Pandas (4-3-0, 8 points) into third place in the Canada West.

The game started off with the Dogs playing shorthanded as the Pandas were sent to the power play just 28 seconds into the game on a Huskies boarding call. A few high-danger chances were set aside by Huskies goaltender Camryn Drever early to leave it scoreless.

The teams would trade a few penalties and low-event hockey until the 6-minute mark in the first, when Abby Soyko scored on a cross-ice pass from Danica Namaka to put the Pandas up one. 

The score would stand at 1-0 going into the first intermission, with the Pandas in control for large swaths of the opening period. They outshot the Huskies 9-2, aided slightly by a 2-1 power play advantage in the frame.

Pandas netminder Halle Oswald was tested early in the second on a Bronwyn Boucher shot in close but turned aside one of her 15 saves in the game. 

Five minutes into the period the Pandas would strike again, a fluttering puck redirected by Allison Reich off a Bree Kennedy initial shot that found its way over the shoulder of Drever. The goal stretches the Pandas lead to two. 

The Huskies managed some good chances on Oswald in the middle of the period, particularly on a power play where they had some high-danger opportunities but were unable to find the back of the net. 

Equally impressive was her counterpart, Drever, who faced a flurry of Pandas shots to close out the frame. Pandas offseason addition Cassidy Maplethorpe was denied a sure goal unchallenged in the slot but Drever somehow managed to collect the puck behind her pads to keep Saskatchewan in the game. She finished with 24 saves on 26 shots.

It was a quiet third period most of the way through until the Huskies Mallory Dyer wristed one home from around the half-circle to spoil the shutout and make it a one-goal game with three minutes to go. They would sustain pressure in the Pandas zone, but the hosts were able to close it out and hold on for a 2-1 victory. 

The teams return to action tomorrow for an afternoon clash at Clare Drake Arena. Live stream of the match available on CanadaWest.TV.