A Huskie hat trick for Carter Stebbings
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The kick-off to the 2026 portion of the Canada West hockey season was a success for the U of S Huskies. Playing in their first home game since December 6th, USask defeated the Alberta Golden Bears 7-4 on Friday night at Merlis Belsher Place. Veteran Carter Stebbings had a hat trick while goaltender Nolan Maier, who made his home ice debut with the Huskies, made 28 stops to improve to 3 and 0 on the season.
Saskatchewan broke open a 1-1 game with four goals in an eight-minute stretch in the second period to take a 5-2 lead. Two of Stebbings’ three goals were scored in a four and half minute span of the onslaught. “It was fun”, Stebbings said. “I think our line did a lot of the right things. When our team plays the right way, with the speed and skill we have, it’s pretty tough to play against us.”
Stebbings, a fourth year forward from Saskatoon, now has 11 goals and 19 points in 20 games this season. Huskie head coach Brandin Cote says Stebbings is a gifted all-around player. “It’s all the other things that he does that people don’t notice”, he said. “It’s the killing of penalties, it’s blocking shots. He’s the smallest guy on the ice but he plays the heaviest.”
Alberta pulled to within one goal near the end of the second period as Tyson Laventure scored a hat trick goal followed by an Adam Hall power play marker, cutting the Huskie lead to 5-4. Stebbings’ third goal of the night came early in the final frame on the power play while Cole Jordan rounded out the scoring with a late empty netter. “I was happy overall”, said Cote. “In the third we buckled down. Defensively we were much more sound in taking care of the puck.”
