Possible playoff preview: Mount Royal trips up Hockey Huskies 3-2

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This was playoff-type hockey.

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Tight-checking. Bodily. Greasy targets.

In what might be a preview of upcoming Canada West males’s hockey quarter-final motion, the College of Saskatchewan Huskies and Mount Royal College Cougars slugged it out for 60 minutes Friday at Merlis Belsher Place.

Ultimately, Mount Royal got here out on high with a hard-fought 3-2 victory to enhance their document to 18-5-4. Saskatchewan, which might end no higher than fifth within the convention standings, slipped to 14-9-4.

The identical two groups will meet once more Saturday afternoon, at 5 p.m., to shut out the common season. It will likely be the Huskies’ remaining house recreation, too, as they’ll hit the street for the playoffs.

“Their massive guys (Nolan Yaremko, Riley Sawchuk and Connor Bouchard) didn’t get a degree however their depth guys discovered methods to attain,” mentioned U of S head coach Brandin Cote.

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“We discovered a approach to keep in it. I didn’t just like the aim in the long run, not essentially Roddy (Huskies goalie Roddy Ross). Roddy played really good and gave us a chance. It was simply little particulars and, in playoff-type hockey, that’s the distinction between successful and dropping, so I assumed we waited a bit of bit at occasions. It was backwards and forwards at occasions. As we obtained going, we carried among the play however they simply obtained yet one more than we did.”

Saskatchewan welcomed a wholesome line-up for the very first time this season, but it surely was evident that some chemistry wasn’t fairly there but resulting from an absence of continuity.

“For positive, the nice factor is we’ve got the depth (now) and now we prepare and go (Saturday),” mentioned Cote. “That’s the best way it’s going to be. We now have yet one more to complete up the common season on be aware. Some positives for positive tonight. Some issues we’ve got to shore up and clear up for tomorrow and see the place it takes us.”

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Moe Hakim, former Saskatoon Blade Blake Stevenson and former Prince Albert Raider Sheldon Moe scored for the Cougars, who took a 1-0 lead within the second interval after a scoreless opening body.

Jaxan Kaluski and Vince Loschiavo, who scored with 42 seconds left after Ross was pulled for an additional attacker, replied for Saskatchewan, which obtained outshot 32-25.

Ross made 29 saves for the Huskies. Shane Farkas had 23 stops for the Cougars.

“They’d some point-blankers and Roddy made some good saves, for positive,” mentioned Cote.

“The one time we get in hassle with these guys is once we flip the puck over. They’re a fast transition crew, particularly these guys who make you pay … We ran out of time. They performed higher than we did tonight, for positive, when you look over the course of 60 minutes. We’ll reply (Saturday) and see the place it goes.”

Mount Royal was 0-for-5 on the ability play. Saskatchewan went 0-for-2.

DOG TALES: Three stars have been 1) Moe, 2) Hakim and three) Huskies D-man Rhett Rhinehart … Attendance was 1,405 … Chantz Petruic had a penalty shot within the third interval however misfired and missed the online.

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