MHKY | Golden Bears stun Huskies in OT

SASKATOON – Daneel Lategan re-directed in a shot from Connor McClennon five minutes into overtime, sending the Golden Bears to the conference semifinal with a 5-4 win over Saskatchewan in Game 3.

Lategan’s goal capped a thrilling Game 3, which featured nine goals, 67 shots, 11 powerplays, and three lead changes. Alberta will now move on to Vancouver, and visit the UBC Thunderbirds in a best-of-three semifinal series next weekend.

“We talked about that in the dressing room before overtime; just funnel everything towards the net. Shots, bodies, everything. It’s often a goal that goes in off somebody in overtime, and it was again tonight,” said Bears head coach Ian Herbers. “Credit to the Huskies and Brandin for the work they did this season. They played hard, and that’s the way all our games against them went this year, down to the final whistle.”

Alberta and UBC have met in each of the last three post-seasons, with UBC winning their semifinal series in 2020, and Alberta earning wins in 2022 (CW Final) and 2023 (CW Semifinal).

Alberta also received two goals from Alex Thacker, along with markers from Aidan de la Gorgendiere and Tyler Preziuso on Sunday night. Ethan Kruger made 29 saves, including 14 in the third period and overtime in the win.

“Thacker and Prez were excellent all series. Using their speed and making it difficult on the other team. Justin Hall also stepped up his level this weekend, moving into centre on that line for Game 2. That was the best I’ve seen him play. He was determined, he wanted the puck and wanted to be the guy.”  continued Herbers.

Cade Hayes, Dawson Holt, Ty Prefontaine, and Vince Loschiavo scored for Saskatchewan. Roddy Ross made 29 saves on 34 Alberta shots.

“It was a back and forth game; it was a crazy one. It’s just hard when you come out on the wrong end of it,” said Huskies head coach Brandin Cote. “I’m proud of how our guys competed and pushed back. Tonight was just a toss up. There is a really fine line between winning and losing.”  

Despite being outplayed in the opening frame, it was the Huskies who came out on top through 20. Cade Hayes beat Kruger in tight for his first of the post-season, finishing a pass from Mark Rumsey that came from behind the goal line.

Alberta outshot Saskatchewan 15-7 in the first, and controlled a large majority of offensive zone possession. Ross turned aside all 15 shots however, with Alberta also going 0/3 on the man advantage in the period.

Holt doubled the Huskie lead just over two minutes into the second, beating Kruger on an almost identical goal to their first. Ty Prefontaine fed Holt from behind the net, just seconds after he was released from the penalty box.

de la Gorgendiere got Alberta on the board just over two minutes later, beating Ross with a beautiful backhand off a solo rush.

In nearly an identical goal to his tally in Game 1, Thacker took advantage of a turnover behind the Huskies net, beating Ross in tight off a feed from Justin Hall two minutes later. He would score his second of the game five minutes later, beating Ross over his shoulder from an impossibly tight angle, giving Alberta their first lead of the game.

Scoring just once all season before Game 3, Prefontaine netted his second point of the game late in the third, leveling the game with a shorthanded rocket past Kruger from the top of the dot.

Loschiavo restored the Huskie lead seven minutes into the third, snapping in a powerplay marker for his second goal of the series.

After two key goals in Game 2, Preziuso came up clutch again in Game 3, tying the game with a powerplay marker of his own midway through the third.

Ross turned a side Daneel Lategan on a late third breakaway, keeping the game tied and sending it to OT.

Lategan earned some revenge in overtime, driving the crease on a Bears cycle, re-directing in McClennon’s shot from the half-wall.

Game 1 of the Canada West semifinal between Alberta and UBC will get underway next Friday at 7:00 p.m. PT in Vancouver.

“Next weekend will be tough, UBC is the top seed and the favourite to win nationals. So it will be fun for us to go in and be the underdog.” said Herbers.