REGINA, Sask. – Coming off their first win of the season, backstopped by a solid goaltender performance from Garret Hughson, the Lethbridge Pronghorns earned a weekend sweep of the Regina Cougars with a 4-2 win in Regina.
Michael Grant, Connor Sanvido, Justin Valentino and Landon Gross lit the lamp for the Pronghorns. Conner Chaulk and Landon Peel scored goals for the Cougars.
It was apparent that the Cougars chanced the Pronghorns for most of the game, as they outshot the visitors in every period and 43-21 in total.
Grant opened the scoring at the 5:53 mark of the first period, taking a feed and lifting a high shot over the blocker of Michael Herringer.
Sanvido's goal came about a minute and a half later, as Sam McKechnie went in on a two-on-one with Sanvido. McKechnie elected to shoot, hitting the post with a wrist shot but Sanvido got the rebound from his skate to his stick in a blink to put it into the empty net.
After the quick start from Lethbridge the momentum shifted in the way of the Cougars. Chaulk scored his first U SPORTS goal with a power play marker late in the frame, knocking home a rebound after a scramble in front of Garret Hughson.
The Cougars were buzzing in the second period, with Arthur Miller creating a pair of solid chances for goals near the middle of the period. Miller had a partial breakaway where his shot was kicked just wide by Hughson, then set up Tristan Frei in the slot but Hughson was up to the task once again.
Despite the Cougars dominating possession for most of the period, it was the Pronghorns that found the net. With less than 30 seconds left in the frame, Valentino found himself alone in front and was able to deflect a Jordan Roy shot through the pads of Herringer to give Lethbridge some breathing room.
Regina's pressure finally paid off at the 10:22 mark of the third period, with a sweet passing play set up by Miller and Zak Zborosky. Peel was the beneficiary, dropping the puck at the point for Zborosky before looping to the right of Hughson. Zborosky sent it to Miller who whipped a pass backdoor to Peel for the tap in.
Regina's chance at a comeback was thwarted with just over a minute left as Clayton Eisler was whistled for an interference call. The Cougars pulled Herringer to get back to five-on-five but Gross tapped home an empty netter to seal the deal.
Herringer stopped 17 shots in the game while Hughson stood on his head at the other end, making 41 saves for the win.
The Pronghorns will be on the road again next weekend, traveling to Saskatoon to take on the Saskatchewan Huskies.
