Cameron Doherty, Huskie Athletics
SASKATOON – In a battle between two teams jockeying for second place in the Prairie Division of Canada West soccer, it was the University of Saskatchewan Huskies that prevailed on a blustery day inside Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park on Oct. 21.
"The wind creates havoc, to come out the first half 0-0 going up against winds of 50 km was key and I thought the boys were pretty sound and that we created some good chances," said Huskies head coach Bryce Chapman. "We made a few adjustments heading into the second half and the team was rewarded not just for today, but for the last six or seven games where we have started to find a good rhythm."
Winning by a score of 2-0 means the Huskies have earned the right to host a playoff game next Saturday, Oct. 27 by finishing the regular season with a record of 6-6-2.
With the loss the Dinos finish the season third in the division with a record of 6-7-1. Calgary will have to head out on the road for their playoff game next weekend when they travel to Langley, B.C. for a date with the Trinity Western Spartans.
Tobias Hyrich-Krueger and Nikolas Baikas scored the goals in the game with Mason Ogoke tallying the lone assist in the contest.
In his final regular season game at home, fifth-year goalkeeper Greg Buckley made one save for the shutout. The victory moves Buckley's career regular season win total to 18, putting him in a tie for second on the Huskies' all-time list.
Jake Ruschkowski had a strong game for the Dinos, recording five saves in the loss.
A midfield battle throughout the opening portion of the game almost saw the Dinos score the first goal of the game in the 27th minute when Derek Brust showed how dangerous he is.
Tied for the team lead in goals this season, Brust got onto the end of a bouncing ball and blasted a shot from inside the 18-yard box but Buckley came out of his net and made himself big to deflect away the scoring threat.
In the 40th minute Ruschkowski kept the game on level terms when he denied Baikas by getting down quickly after a great weaving run from the Huskies midfielder, sending the teams into the halftime break with the game still tied 0-0.
With the wind in their favour in the second half the Huskies began to take control of the game, but it would be the Dinos that had the first real scoring opportunity of the second frame.
After a scramble in the box, the ball bounced out to Nathan Kimura who unleashed a powerful strike from 25 yards out, but his effort clanged off the cross-bar and away from danger.
The breakthrough in the game came in the 62nd minute.
After coming into the game just five minutes earlier, Mason Ogoke went on a great run down the left wing a crossed a dangerous ball into the box that found Hyrich-Krueger unmarked at the back-post. The third-year wingback made no mistake in powering the ball into the net for his first goal of the season.
The teams went back-and-forth throughout much of the second half with both Brust and second-half substitute Jared Fillo looking threatening on multiple occasions for Calgary.
The Dinos began throwing everything forward in the hopes of tying the game and Baikas took advantage in the 86th minute.
With Ruschkowski well off his line in an attempt to corral a cross, the first year from Saskatoon was able to float the ball into the net for the fourth goal of his rookie campaign.
"He is starting to grow into the Canada West game," said Chapman of Baikas. "If you look at what he has done over the last four or five games, he has taken charge of this group on the field and he's a player that can be tricky, that is now starting to rise to the big occasions."
Baikas' goal cemented the victory for Saskatchewan as they were able to ride out the remaining time on the clock without any major threats towards Buckley's net.
Prior to the game, the Huskies honoured Buckley, Bryce Marinus, Jakub Rogowski, Tyler Redl and Sam Whiting in what was the final regular season home games of their U SPORTS careers.
"They were all significant pieces of the 2014 Canada West team that started the evolution of where we want to take this program," said Chapman. "On and off the field they have been fantastic ambassadors and you can't ask for anything more from them. Now they get rewarded with a home playoff game."