Box Score Lethbridge – On the final day of the conference schedule and needing a win for a chance to host the first round of playoffs, the Saskatchewan Huskies did exactly that shutting out the Lethbridge Pronghorns 3-0.
Janelle Zapski scored twice and Erica Hindmarsh scored the other Huskie goal.
Having already solidified a post-season position, their focus was fourth place and a home playoff date. Heading into today’s game, the Huskies only trailed the Regina Cougars by a single point for fourth place in the conference, the Huskies were determined to earn the full three points and hope for a Regina loss.
The Huskies stormed out of the gate and dominated the opening half, directed 17 shots towards the ‘Horns net. The ‘Horns were only able to muster two shot attempts, with neither finding the mark.
Less than four minutes into the game, Zapski gave the Huskies the lead, picking the upper portion of the net from 15 yards out.
Eerily similar to her first marker, Zapski doubled the Huskies lead, stepping around a ‘Horns defender and lacing a shot to the top left for her second of the day and team leading eighth on the season.
The second half saw much of the same with the Huskies dictating the pace but the ‘Horns defense tightened up, only allowing seven shot attempts by the Huskies. The ‘Horns themselves doubled their first half output and directed four shots towards the Huskie goal, but never really threatened.
With just more than 20 minutes to play, Hindmarsh concluded the games scoring, sliding the ball under ‘Horns keeper Taura Willoughby.
Playing in her final game as a Pronghorn, Willoughby finished the day with nine saves, including a great diving save off of Daniela Fuenzalida in the late going. Marissa Struik made three saves to earn her first clean sheet of the season.
With the loss the ‘Horns finish the 2012 season with a 1-9-2 record and while the Huskies go the result they need and improved to 8-4-0, they finish one point behind the Cougars for fourth after the Cougars upended the Calgary Dinos today in Calgary.
