Box Score CALGARY, AB – The Mount Royal University Cougars win 5-3 in a scrappy affair against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. MRU's leading scorer, Cody Cartier potted a hatrick to bring his season total to 22 points, while Lethbridge had three different goal scorers, most notably rookie Justin Valentino with his first of the year.
After a tight game on Friday night, the Cougars and Pronghorns picked up right where they left off. Showing no signs of fatigue, both Mount Royal and Lethbridge played well in the first period.
A back and forth affair, the Cougars had the edge heading into the second, as they fired 16 shots on goal on second year netminder
Warren Shymko. Business Administration student-athlete and MRU goaltender Dalyn Flette wasn't very busy, facing only 4 shots in the first.
The Cougars were buzzing to start the second. Dominating the play, a quick break out freed Mount Royal forward Sebastien Pare in front of the Pronghorns net, where a quick wrister beat Shymko top shelf. Pare's snipe at the 18:51 mark not only gave the MRU the 1-0 lead, but it allowed Cougars fan Silvan Harper to unofficially win a car courtesy of sponsor Shaganappi GM (to be confirmed Monday)!
Continuing to control the play, Mount Royal scored two more quick goals on great efforts by fourth year forward Jeff Barrett and MRU leading scorer, Cody Cartier.
The Pronghorns cut the Cougars lead to two, as Lethbridge rookie Justin Valentino snuck his first of the year past Mount Royal's tender. At the end of the second period, MRU continued to outshoot the U of L 27-9 heading into the intermission.
Tensions rose at the beginning of the third, as a scrum in front of the Cougars net lead to coincidental penalties to MRU's Cartier and U of L's Brandon Clowes. The pushing and shoving in front of the net continued, allowing the Pronghorn's Mike Forsyth to score. Lethbridge continued to trail the Cougars 3-2.
On a delayed penalty call, a streaking Cartier solved U of L's Shymko to regain the Cougars two goal lead. Only minutes later, some more fancy stick work by Cartier gave him his hatrick goal, as he slipped one under the pads of Shymko to put MRU up 5-2 with 12 minutes remaining.
The back and forth continued, as Daniel Iwanski's nifty move to in front managed to slip one past the Cougars netminder to cut Mount Royal's lead back to two goals.
With the goalie pulled and MRU defenseman, Scott McKay, in the box for crosschecking, Flette made a huge save on Pronghorns' Clowes on the side of the net with 30 seconds remaining in the third.
Despite the scrappy finish, Mount Royal held on to win it 5-3, outshooting the Pronghorns 37-23. The Cougars improve to 9-5 on the year, while Lethbridge drops to 3-11.
The 'Horns will return home next weekend to host the Saskatchewan Huskies for a pair of games at Nicholas Sheran Arena.
