Box Score
REGINA, Sask. – Playing their final series of the opening semester, the Lethbridge Pronghorns got the weekend off on the right foot, doubling up the Regina Cougars 6-3 to take game one of the two game weekend set in Regina.
Six different skaters scored for Lethbridge, as Sam McKechnie, Russell Maxwell, Jay Merkley, Brandon Clowes, Artsiom Kalashnikov and Dalton Sward were able to find the net in the win. Colton Sparrow, Carter Hansen and Stephen Langford replied for the Cougars, who drop to 3-11-1 with the result.
The win improves the Pronghorns record to 7-5-3 and remain three points behind the Mount Royal Cougars for fourth place after Mount Royal won tonight at home.
Sparrow scored the first goal of the game less than two minutes in, banking a shot off the back of netminder Garett Hughson from behind the Pronghorn net. Ian McNulty collected an assist on Sparrow's second of the season.
The Pronghorns replied at the 12:41 mark of the period after a scramble in the neutral zone. A bouncing puck was knocked ahead and picked up by McKechnie, who outwaited Mitch Kilgore and swooped to the side of the net to tuck it home. Russell Maxwell gave Lethbridge the lead just over three minutes later, putting away a rebound after Kilgore made a big pad save on a slapshot from Torrin White.
Lethbridge kept rolling in the second period, as a slick pass from behind the net by Mitchell Maxwell found Merkley in front and his quick shot beat Kilgore. Clowes' goal came five minutes later, as he deflected in a shot off the stick of Evan Wardley on a transition attack.
The Cougars drew closer at the 15:11 mark of the second, as a Tyler Bell point shot hit the leg of Hansen and deflected in for the forward's first goal as a Cougar. The Pronghorns replied again, as Kalashnikov was in the right spot to bat the puck past Kilgore after a point shot was blocked in front.
Sward's goal came with 4:29 left in the third, as he picked up a loose puck off a faceoff and rocketed a shot past Kilgore. Langford replied just 23 seconds later, banging in a rebound off a slapshot from Hansen, but it was as close as the Cougars would get.
Hughson made 38 saves between the pipes to earn the win for Lethbridge. Kilgore stopped 37 shots for the Cougars.
The Cougars and Pronghorns will square off again on Saturday afternoon, with puck drop set for 3 p.m. at The Co-operators Centre.
