SASKATOON, Sask. — Needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Saskatchewan Huskies were unable to secure the necessary victory on Friday night (Feb. 13), falling 4-0 to the visiting Mount Royal Cougars at Merlis Belsher Place.

The loss officially eliminates Saskatchewan from playoff contention, as the Huskies needed a win to keep pace with Manitoba. Entering the night tied with the Bisons for the final playoff spot in the East, Saskatchewan saw its fate sealed when Manitoba earned a 3-2 overtime victory over Calgary. With the Bisons holding the tiebreaker, the combined results closed the door on the Huskies' postseason hopes.

Having already clinched a playoff berth, the victory solidified the Cougars' position atop the East standings, earning them a first-round bye in the Canada West playoffs.

After both sides settled in through the opening 10 minutes, the Cougars pounced just past the midway mark of the first period. With six attackers on the ice due to a delayed Huskies penalty, Isa MacPhee found Kaia Borbandy at the top of the circle, who one-timed a shot past Colby Wilson for the game's opening goal. Saskatchewan was unable to generate a response in the remaining minutes and trailed 1-0 after one.

Five minutes into the second, the Huskies were awarded their first power play of the game and looked to find the equalizer, but a Saskatchewan infraction shortly after negated the man advantage. Despite the four-on-four stretch and an abbreviated Cougars power play, the score remained 1-0. However, late in the frame and with Mount Royal's power play unit back on the ice, Julia Duke cleaned up a loose puck in front to double the Cougars' lead with eight seconds remaining in the period.

Carrying that momentum into the third, Mount Royal continued to press. Just over two minutes in, Jerzey Watteyne stole the puck below the Huskies' goal line and jammed it past Wilson to make it 3-0. Saskatchewan earned a pair of power play opportunities midway through the period but with MRU boasting the top-ranked penalty kill in the Canada West (93%), the Huskies failed to break through. Feeling their playoff hopes slipping away, the Dogs continued to battle but could not find a way to solve Cougars netminder Scout Anderson, who recorded her third shutout of the season in the 4-0 victory.

The Huskies will close out their 2025-26 season against MRU tomorrow night. Puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m.