Huskies fortunate to pull out one goal win over the Spartans.

Take a two goal lead, give up four straight goals, score five straight goals, then allow two late goals and escape with a one goal win. It’s not the way any coach would draw up a game plan, but it’s how the University of Saskatchewan Huskie men’s hockey team pulled out a 7-6 victory over the Trinity Western Spartans on Friday night at the Langley Events Centre as Canada West hockey teams returned to the ice following a long holiday break. Coming into the weekend Saskatchewan sat in fourth place in the tight Canada West standings having won 10 of 18 while Trinity Western had just two regulation wins in the first 18 games of the season.

The start went as expected as the favored Huskies took a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the hockey game. Saskatchewan’s Mark Rumsey and Jared Dmytriw struck early. What followed was almost inexplainable. After cutting the Huskie lead to one before the end of the first period, the Spartans scored three straight second period goals to take a 4-2 advantage. Josh Borynec, Joshua Bruce and Mitchell Joss scored in an eventful 11 minute span. After the Spartans’ third goal, U of S coach Brandin Cote elected to pull starting goaltender Roddy Ross in favor of Jordan Kooy. Ross allowed three goals on 11 shots. “He was hung out to dry”, said Cote. “I just thought at the time we needed a change of mindset. Jordan played good but I didn’t really want to do it that way.”

First year forward Carter Stebbings cut into the Spartans two goal advantage by scoring with 1:45 remaining in the second period. Saskatchewan then took control, scoring four straight times to go up 7-4. Stebbings, who had a four point night, scored again in the third to help trigger the comeback. Trinity Western’s Travis Verveda and Joshua Bruce scored in the final minutes to cut Saskatchewan’s margin to 7-6.

Perhaps returning to play after a long layoff had something to do with a wild night in Canada West men’s hockey. Calgary beat MacEwan 7-5. Regina blasted Manitoba 8-0. Mount Royal defeated Alberta in a 6-5 shootout.