SASKATOON – Heading out on the road for the first time in 2020, the Lethbridge Pronghorns dug themselves 2-0 hole, one they could not dig themselves out of, losing 3-1 to the Saskatchewan Huskies on Friday, Jan. 10 at Merlis Belsher Place.
Tonight's loss marked the fourth time in five games that the Pronghorns have only been able to register one goal and have lost five straight games, earning a single point in an overtime loss last Friday versus the Regina Cougars.
Prior to the recent offensive woes, the Pronghorns were one of the leaders in the conference in goal scoring and will need to find that form moving in the final stretch of the season.
The loss drops the Pronghorns record to 6-9-1-3, good enough for the sixth and final playoff spot with nine regular-season contests remaining.
The Huskies improved their record to 9-6-2-2 on the season, with the team snapping a two-game losing skid. However, Saskatchewan, who has won five of their last seven, remain in the thick of things near the top of the Canada West as they continue to chase after a top-two seed.
Fifth-year forward Elizabeth Salyn's night to remember carried her club, as the Edmonton native registered the first two-goal game of her Huskies career, leading her club to their first win of 2020. Bailee Bourassa's ninth of the season provided insurance in the third period.
Mila Verbicky scored the lone Pronghorn goal, her second in as many games.
Saskatchewan goaltender Jessica Vance stopped 11 of 12 shots on the night to record her eighth win of the season, while at the opposite end of the ice Lethbridge netminder Alicia Anderson did her best to keep her club in the game, allowing three goals on 26 shots between the pipes for the Pronghorns.
with the loss the Pronghorns fall to 6-9-1-3 with the loss, good enough for the sixth and final playoff spot with nine regular-season contests remaining.
After a quiet opening to the first period, it was a team effort for the Huskies that helped the hosts get on the board. Anderson stopped Lundberg's breakaway chance, but the forward stopped up on the goal line and was able to shovel the puck back on the net, which Holmes later poked free to Salyn, who recorded her second of the season to make it 1-0 Huskies.
The home side took the one-goal lead into the second, and just 2:34 into the second frame, it was Salyn who scored the second of the game. The forward was able to strip the puck from a Pronghorn inside the slot, and proceeded to go top corner over the shoulder of Anderson, in what was an early candidate for Huskies goal of the year.
Saskatchewan took a two-goal lead into the third, which was extended to three after a tremendous centering pass from Upgang found Bourassa streaking into the slot, who made no mistake as she snuck her wrister past Anderson. Bourassa tallied her seventh in as many games to make it 3-0 for the home side.
However, Lethbridge refused to go away. Just 1:19 after Bourassa's tally, the visitors got back within two on a powerplay goal, as Verbicki, a freshman forward from Bowser, B.C., recorded the second goal of her young Canada West career.
However, unfortunately for Lethbridge, that was as close as they would come, as Vance and company were able to weather the storm late in the third and record the victory.
The Huskies and Pronghorns will do battle for the second time in as many nights on Saturday, as the hosts will look to sweep the weekend series.
All of the action can be watched live on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.
