University of Regina Sports Information
REGINA - Zak Zborosky and Cody Fowlie notched four points apiece to power the University of Regina men's hockey team to a 5-2 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns at The Co-operators Centre on Saturday night.
Zborosky (pictured) notched two goals and two assists, bumping up his lead in the Canada West rookie scoring race with 17 points in 13 games. Fowlie collected four assists on the night, as Tristan Frei scored twice and Zach McPhee had a goal and a helper. Dallas Valentine and Justin Valentino had a goal each for Lethbridge, as the Pronghorns fall to 4-9-1.
Michael Herringer was impressive in net for Regina, stopping 26 shots to pick up his third win of the season as the Cougars improve to 3-9-2. Garret Hughson made 36 saves for the visitors.
First-Period Frenzy
The first period was full of action as there were multiple odd-man rushes in each direction. Zborosky looked like he would find the net early on but his wrist shot from the slot went just over Hughson's net. Dalton Sward had a good chance a few minutes later on a two-on-one for Lethbridge but his shot whistled wide and created a rush for the Cougars the other way, which saw Carter Hansen's shot sail high. Cody Fowlie had a partial breakaway off a Pronghorn turnover near the end of the first, but his effort at the glove-side corner narrowly missed the target.
The hectic pace finally produced a goal at the 16:10 mark of the first period, as Zborosky and McPhee went at Hughson with just one Pronghorn defender in the play. Zboroksy made a slick move around him and slipped a pass across to McPhee who put it home for his second of the season. Fowlie also picked up an assist on the first goal of the evening.
The Cougars nearly doubled the lead just a minute later, as Frei was sprung on a breakaway coming out of the penalty box. The second-year sharpshooter elected to shoot but Hughson kept the lead at one goal with a quick stick save.
Pronghorn Push
The Pronghorns had two great chances near the start of the second period thanks to Mitchell Maxwell and Ryan Chynoweth. Maxwell took a cross ice feed and ripped a one timer, but Herringer dove across to rob him with an incredible glove save. Minutes later, Chynoweth went in one-on-one and ripped a shot that beat the Cougar netminder but rang off the crossbar.
Cougars Pull Away
The Pronghorns dressed just 16 players on Saturday, and it was clear that the visitors became fatigued with the game's fast pace. Regina showed off the second-best powerplay in Canada West in the second period after Chynoweth was hit with a double minor for high sticking. McPhee was able to poke the puck ahead to Fowlie who fed it in front for Zborosky. The first-year forward was all alone in front and deflected it home for his seventh goal of the campaign.
Zborosky added his third goal of the weekend with less than two minutes left in the second, deflecting a Landon Peel point shot past the pad of Hughson to stretch the lead to 3-0. Lethbridge answered before the end of the period as Valentine teed up a point shot and ripped it by Herringer's glove.
Frei had a chance for redemption early in the third period, scooping up a loose puck and heading in alone against Hughson for the second time. Frei went with the shot again, this time solving Hughson with a low shot to the blocker side.
Lethbridge cut the lead again at the midpoint of the final frame, on a nifty passing display with Valentino benefitting off assists from Taylor Fisher and Ryon Moser.
Frei sealed the deal late with an empty netter off assists from Zborosky and Fowlie.
Looking Forward
Both teams will close out the first half of the conference schedule next weekend before the December break. The Cougars will be in Saskatoon next Friday for the first game of a home-and-home against the No. 3-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies. Lethbridge will also play a home-and-home series, facing off against the No. 9-ranked Calgary Dinos.