Cougar-Huskie action at Merlis Belsher Place (Image Credit: Huskie Athletics)

By Wray Morrison

Regina upsets the Huskies at Merlis Belsher Place

Damon Cunningham makes 46 saves in Cougar net

Jan 30, 2026 | 11:40 PM

From the head coach’s perspective, the assessment was simple. “We weren’t prepared to play.”  Huskie bench boss Brandin Cote says his team got what it deserved following a 5-4 loss to the 4-19 Regina Cougars on Saturday night at Merlis Belsher Place.

The visitors outshot USask 13-12 in the first period and took a 2-1 lead to the dressing room. Kade Runke opened the scoring 2:19 into the game. After Saskatchewan’s Cade Hayes tied it, the Cougars took the one goal lead on Jordan Borysiuk’s first goal of the season.

“We talked about being prepared”, said Cougar head coach Trevor Keeper. “Mentally we tried to get pucks in behind their D and make them turn to go back and get it to try get some sustained time in their zone.  That allowed us to get a little breathing room against a really talented team.”

After Huskie captain Gunner Kinniburgh tied the game at two early in the second period, the Cougars responded with a goal by Brayden Barnett at 4:37 to go up 3-2. Cote then pulled starting goaltender Jordan Kooy in favour of Nolan Maier. Kooy, a fifth-year Huskie, allowed the three goals on 14 shots before being taken out. When asked if the change was because of Kooy’s play or to motivate his team, Cote said “I think it was a little bit of both. I didn’t like the third goal. It’s like the life just gets sucked out of you.”

Four minutes later Rylan Silzer made it 4-2 before the Cougars struck on the power play in the late stages of the middle frame on Eric Pearce’s second goal of the season.

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USask dominated play in the third period hoping to overcome the three-goal deficit. Fifth-year Huskie Chantz Petruic buried his 17th goal of the season two and half minutes into the final frame. Liam Keeler made it a 5-4 game with eight minutes remaining, but that’s as close as the home side would get. With goaltender Nolan Maier out of the net for the final minutes, the Huskies peppered the Cougar net but could not get the equalizer.  

Cougar goalie Damon Cunningham made 21 of his 46 saves in the final 20 minutes to collect his fourth win of the season. Play was delayed in the third period when the first-year netminder got physically sick on the ice “He got popped in the Adam’s apple”, said Keeper. “He couldn’t breathe and then threw up. He wasn’t physically sick with the flu. He got hit in the throat with a stick.  It was great that he hit the reset button and was able to finish the game strong.”

“They (Cougars) came in here with a mindset”, said Cote. “Credit to them. “We only played when the chips were down. You can’t do that. We got what we deserved.”

The Huskies fell to 16-5-1-1 on the season but still control their own destiny for a first-place finish in the east division of the Canada West standings. The Mount Royal Cougars are in top spot with 36 points and three games remaining. The Huskies and Calgary both have 34 points with five games to go. USask has games remaining against the Dinos and MRU, but first the team will complete the home and home series with the U of R on Saturday night at the Cooperators Centre in Regina.

“We just have to reset”, said Cote. “We can’t sit and stew on it. We are still in control of our own fate, but we can’t play when we feel like it.”

Saturday’s Huskie-Cougar rematch can be heard on the free HuskieFAN app with pregame coverage starting at 6:45 PM.

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wray.morrison@pattisonmedia.com

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