The Huskies suffered their first loss of the season in Edmonton on November 4, 2023. Photo: Ryan Flaherty/HuskieFAN

By Ryan Flaherty

First Loss

Huskies win streak snapped in Edmonton

Nov 4, 2023 | 11:35 PM

It had to end sometime. The Huskies men’s hockey team tasted defeat for the first time this season, falling 4-3 to the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton on Saturday, snapping a program-record nine-game win streak to start the Canada West season.

Despite a solid effort throughout the game, the Huskies’ quest for their first regular season road sweep of the Golden Bears since 1983 came up just a bit short as their archrivals did just enough to secure a split of their weekend series.

After a 3-1 win on Friday that saw the Huskies overcome a slow start, the visitors came out strong, generating a couple of early chances. But it was Alberta opening the scoring four and a half minutes in as Noah Boyko intercepted a clearing pass at the Huskies blue line and sniped a long-range wrister bar down past Roddy Ross for a 1-0 lead.

The Golden Bears doubled the advantage midway through the frame courtesy of a Josh Prokop goal right after an Alberta power play, and for a brief moment it seemed like the home side was on its way to a lopsided victory, but the Huskies responded in short order. Raphael Pelletier scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season with a top shelf laser and just a few minutes later, Chantz Petruic was awarded a penalty shot and beat Alberta netminder Matt Berlin with a low shot to the blocker side.

However, before the period was out, the Bears went back in front. Jakin Smallwood scored for the second time in as many games and Alberta took a 3-2 lead into the room.

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The offensive flurry wasn’t the only story of the first period though as in addition to Petruic’s penalty shot, the teams combined for seven minor penalties, many of the questionable variety. Saskatchewan outshot Alberta 16-6 in the frame.

The officials continued to make liberal use of their whistles in the second period, making five more calls, but first the Huskies got back on even terms. After Berlin stopped Keaton Sorensen on a 2-on-1 rush, a trailing Jeff Faith got to the rebound and put it into the net for his first goal of the season.

The penalty parade soon resumed though, and less than two minutes later with Ben Tkachuk serving a high-sticking minor, Joel Sexsmith put the Golden Bears back in front with what would turn out to be the winning goal.

Alberta finished the night going 1-for-8 on the power play while the Huskies came up empty on seven man advantages including a 50-second 5-on-3.

The Huskies continued to carry the play for significant stretches of the final two periods, but could not put another puck past Berlin, who finished the night with 38 saves.

With the loss, Saskatchewan now sits at 9-1 on the season. The Huskies will be back home for another tough test next weekend as they get set to face the defending Canada West champion Calgary Dinos for the first time since they were eliminated by the Dinos in the conference semifinals last season. Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

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