Box Score
Lethbridge – With three third period goals, the top team in the nation avoided an unlikely upset as the Alberta Golden Bears remained perfect on the season with a 6-3 win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns.
Johnny Lazo led the way for the Golden Bears, scoring a pair of goals, while Zack Dailey, Ben Lindenmulder, Sean Ringrose and Torrie Dyck each scored once. Devon Kalinski, Mitch Maxwell and Ryon Moser replied for the Pronghorns.
The Bears improve to 9-0-0 on the season, while the 'Horns fall to 1-8-0 with the loss.
With the teams at the opposite ends of the standings heading into the weekend one would have thought the result would have never been in doubt, but a pesky Pronghorn team skated with the Bears for 40 minutes and at times looked to have the Bears frustrated.
Looking to play a simple and defensive game, the 'Horns held the Bears to only five first period shots and opened the scoring themselves just shy of the five minute mark. Kalinski scored his first of the season with a helper from newcomer Ryan Aasman.
Lazo registered his first of the night to even the score, collecting his own rebound and beating 'Horns keeper Dylan Tait high to the glove.
On the Bears first power-play of the game, Lazo deflected home a point shot for his second consecutive goal in a relativity uneventful opening frame.
The 'Horns continued to show some moxie early in the second, drawing even before the period was a minute old. Maxwell made a great backdoor feed to Moser for his third goal of the season.
The 'Horns leading scorer heading into the weekend, Cass Mappin had two glorious chances to give the 'Horns the lead but his shorthanded partial breakaway and hotshot from the slot were turned aside by Bears keeper Kurtis Mucha, who finished the night with 15 saves.
On another Bears power play, Lindenmulder's point shot hit a 'Horns defender and past Tait to regain the Bears one goal lead.
A resilient 'Horns team struck right back just over a minute later as Moser and Maxwell connected again. This time Moser's cross ice pass sprung Maxwell, who kept on a two-on-one and beat Mucha low blocker side.
While the 'Horns opened the third with an important penalty kill, the Bears took control in the third, out shooting the 'Horns 17-3 and took the lead, one they would not relinquish again, on the very next faceoff after the penalty kill. Following the puck to the net, Ringrose found himself all alone in front to bang home the rebound.
Despite a strong push from the 'Horns in the final half of the third they were not able to generate much offense the rest of the period and Torrie Dyck sealed the win with a bank shot from his own end into the empty net. Daley scored with 1.6 seconds left to cap the scoring.
These same two teams will face-off tomorrow night at Nicholas Sheran Arena with the puck drop scheduled for 7:00pm.
