Box Score
Calgary, AB - Jeff Barret’s goal with 2:09 remaining in double-overtime helped propel the Mount Royal University Cougars to a 4-3 win over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns in Canada West men’s hockey action Friday in Calgary.
Matt Strong, Spencer Asuchak, and Tyler Jewitt also tallied markers for the Cougars, who improved to 6-18-1 following the win.
Mark Hall, David McMullen and Tim Campbell replied for the visitors who fall to 1-21-3, grabbing a single point with the OT loss.
The Cougars opened the scoring just 27 seconds into the opening frame, as Strong notched his first goal of the season, ripping a shot past Pronghorns goalie Dylan Tait to give the Cougars the early 1-0 lead. The Cougars would outshoot the Pronghorns 24-5 in the first, but would leave the period down a man as Eric Galbraith took a five minute major interference call in the final 60 seconds of the period.
Starting the second with four minutes left on the powerplay, the Pronghorns would tie the game mid-way through the mad advantage as former Kamloops Blazer Mark Hall banked in his first of the season from bad angle, firing a puck from the below the goal line that snuck between the post and Justin Cote's pad to tie the game at 1-1.
The Cougars would restore the one goal lead some ten minutes later and on the powerplay as Ashuchak got a stick on a Dominic Perrault wrist shot from the left point that eluded Tait high glove side to put Mount Royal back out in front by one.
The lead would quickly evaporate less than a minute later as a streaking David McMullen came down hard on the left side and pumped a shot just over the left pad of Cote to even things back up at 2-2 after 40 minutes of play.
The Pronghorns would once again open a period on the powerplay, as Scott McKay headed to the box for holding to start the third.
Up a man, Lethbridge would capitalize yet again on the powerplay as Hayden Rintoul fluttered a shot on net that handcuffed Cote. Unable to control the rebound, Tim Campbell buried the loose puck from the side of the net giving the Pronghorns their first lead of the night 3-2.
With just five minutes remaining the Cougars would get a powerplay late in the game Rintoul headed to the sin bin for high sticking.
Controlling the zone, Tyler Jewitt would get the puck below the goal line and similar to Hall’s opener for the ‘Horns, Jewitt would send a shot towards the net from an off-angle that somehow snuck through Tait’s pads and into the back of the net to tie the score at 3-3 with 3:55 remaining.
4-on-4 overtime would solve nothing as Mount Royal launched five shots on goal in the five minute OT sending the game to 3-on-3 double-overtime.
Winning a draw in the Pronghorns zone, forward Jeff Barret would control the puck and make a slick move in front, firing a shot five-hole on Tait that snuck by the ‘keeper, as the Cougars won on home ice 4-3.
Final shots favoured the Cougars 59-31 as Pronghorns netminders Dylan Tait earned first star honours stopping 54 pucks. Cougars goalie Justin Cote made 28 saves in the win. The Cougars were 2-for-6 on the powerplay while the Pronghorns were perfect, scoring on both their powerplay opportunities.
The two teams will travel south down to Lethbridge Saturday for part two of the home-and-home series. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m.
