EDMONTON, Alta. – It was a nervier finish than they probably would have preferred, but the Golden Bears (5-4-4) took care of business at home over the Saskatchewan Huskies (5-8), and are now guaranteed a spot in the 2026 Canada West playoffs.
They'll also have plenty to play for in their regular season finale against Lethbridge, with the opportunity to finish ahead of the Pronghorns to take the third seed in the Prairie Division. The Huskies, meanwhile, will need to both win their final game and also receive some outside help in order to make it to the postseason.
In a game with so much at stake, it was Justin George who provided the highlight of highlights in the form of a first half bicycle kick that proved in the end to be the winning goal. His team-leading seventh tally of the season came following a cross into the box that went off the head of a couple players before reaching George with his back to the net. Undeterred by his positioning, the North Vancouver native calmly controlled the ball with his chest and launched into an overhead kick that nestled sweetly into the side netting.
That came after Prince Amanda had opened the scoring in the eighth minute, after he latched onto a long ball over the top from Nicholas Lechelt and managed to squeeze it past the onrushing
Jaron Slopinski in the Saskatchewan goal.
Taking a 2-0 lead into the second half, the Golden Bears focused on managing the game and trying to see out the result. But they were made to work for it by a Huskies side that knew their season could be on the line.
The visitors finally found their breakthrough with about 20 minutes to play, when
Tao Hein got the ball just inside the penalty box following a half-cleared cross. Despite a high number of bodies in between him and the goal, Hein fired a low-driven shot with his left boot that somehow snaked its way through everyone and into the back of the net.
That fired up him and the rest of his team even further, as they applied plenty of pressure for the rest of the game. But the Golden Bears stood tall defensively, not allowing clear-cut opportunities or any further goals to secure the win.
Saskatchewan now faces a must-win Sunday match against the MacEwan Griffins in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. In addition to needing a win of their own, the Huskies will also need an Alberta win over Lethbridge in order to jump the Pronghorns for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Prairie Division. Kick off at Clarke Stadium is set for 3:00 PM.
