Posted: Nov 07, 2014
Calgary, AB - The Mount Royal University Cougars battled hard, but couldn't fight off the Saskatchwan Huskies, as U of S held on in the third to take the game 3-1. Led by Kaitlin Willoughby (one goal, one assist), the Huskies improve to 6-3 on the season.
The Cougars came out strong in the first, keeping pace with the fifth place University of Saskatchewan. Two strong penalty kills by Mount Royal keep the Huskies at bay, as time wound down. Playing an end to end game, neither team seemed to gain the upper hand in the first period of play. Shots on goal were 10-5 for the Huskies after one.
After playing the final minutes of the opening period on the penalty kill, the Cougars came out buzzing with traffic in front of Saskatchewan goaltender Cassidy Hendricks in the second period.
Despite Mount Royal's strong start, Saskatchewan's fourth year forward Marley Ervine managed to sneak one past Cougars' veteran netminder Jess Ross, to put the Huskies up 1-0 at the 4:57 mark.
In the final minutes of the middle frame, Cougars goaltender Ross stood on her head, making a huge save on Willoughby and fifth year, Chelsey Sundby to keep the game at 1-0 heading into the third.
Down by a goal, the Cougars played a great period of hockey in the final frame. Rookie forward Megan Carver had a good chance early in period with a wrist shot from the top of the circle, only to be stopped by Hendricks.
On an interference call to MRU's Sarah Weninger, the Cougars found themselves back on the penalty kill midway through the third when the Huskies Rachel Johnston managed to bury a rebound past Ross to put Saskatchewan up 2-0 with 16 minutes remaining.
Fighting back, Weninger made a great feed in the neutral zone, allowing captain Tanika Dawson to split the defence for a smooth handed breakaway. A quality wrist shot solved Hendricks to cut the lead to one goal with eight minutes remaining.
In an attempt to even up the game, MRU pulled Ross with a minute left, but a bad bounce off a shin pad allowed the Huskies to score an empty netter with seconds remaining.
The Cougars (1-7-1) will look to get back on track tomorrow, as the rematch is set for 7 PM at Flames Community Arenas.