LETHBRIDGE — The Regina Cougars stingily and surgically conjured a comeback from a two-goal deficit versus the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Friday, defeating the Pronghorns at the Nicholas Sheran Arena by a score of 3 – 2 to open the new decade.
 
Jenna Merk (1^st Star) scored the only goal in the shootout to secure the two-point victory for her side, and Shaelynn Vallotten (3^rd Star) scored the tying goal with just over two minutes remining in regulation. Lethbridge's Kyra Grieg (2^nd Star) had a goal and an assist for her side.
 
Jane Kish started in net for the Cougars, backstopping them with a 21 save performance through 70 minutes of play. Lethbridge's Alicia Anderson secured her team a consolation point with a 38 save effort in the shootout loss.
 
Lethbridge got on the board early thanks to a broken defensive effort by the Cougars at their offensive blue line. Sage Sansregret's backhanded pass found an open Kyra Grieg in front of Kish, who buried the puck to open the scoring.
 
The Cougars took three consecutive penalties shortly following the Lethbridge marker, but the home team was not able to capitalize on the early trio of powerplay opportunities.
 
With Regina's Hannah Pennell penalized for interference late in the first period, the Pronghorns were able to capitalize on their fourth powerplay of the period.
 
Alli Borrow relayed Eryn Johanson's pass behind the Regina net to Kyra Grieg, getting it back as she circled the net. Borrow's shot traversed a fortuitous arc over and behind Kish to give her side a two-goal lead after the first period.
 
The Pronghorns saw some penalty trouble of their own to open the second, as the Cougars were able to see 37 seconds of five-on-three powerplay time, though the Lethbridge special teams were able to kill off both penalties.
 
Regina sent a pair of their own to the penalty box just outside the game's halfway point, but Lethbridge could not convert on the two chances before Tallon Stephenson was assessed a tripping penalty in her own zone.
 
On the ensuing Cougars powerplay following a cycle-play by Hannah Pennell and Adela Juzkova, Jozkova shot into a mess of players in front of Anderson. Jordan Kulbida recovered the puck and buried it past a scrambling Anderson to cut the deficit in half and serve as the second frame's only marker.
 
Period three saw plenty of action in the Lethbridge end thanks to a stingy defensive effort and efficient transition game by the Cougars, holding the home team to just one shot in the final frame against the 17 shots Regina landed on Anderson.
 
Lethbridge's Johanson was assessed a minor for body checking with three minutes remaining in regulation, and the Cougars capitalized halfway through the resulting power-play.
 
A shot on net by Jaycee Magwood could not be controlled by Anderson, and Vallotten recoups the puck and buries it in the Lethbridge net to tie the game at two and force the game to overtime.
 
Through two periods of overtime, both netminders were spectacular for their teams, sprawling to make saves on multiple odd-man chances. Four shots were taken by each team in the two frames of extra hockey.
 
In the shootout, both teams' first two shooters were unsuccessful in their attempts before Regina's Merg scored in round three with a forehand-backhand deke that she tucked top shelf on Anderson. Dietz was stopped by Kish, sealing the win for the Cougars.
 
With the shootout win, the Regina Cougars (3-10-4-0, 17 pts) close the gap between them and the Lethbridge Pronghorns (6-7-1-3, 23 pts) for the final playoff spot in the Canada West conference.
 
Both teams will be back at the Nicholas Sheran Arena on Saturday to conclude the first weekend series of the new year. Puck drop is at 1 PM.