Huskies blank Cougars to extend unbeaten start

The Huskies thought they’d doubled their lead a minute into the second as a shot from the boards deflected off a body, then the post and in behind Cougars goaltender Arden Kliewer, however after a conference the officials ruled the puck hadn’t crossed the line.

It didn’t take long for the Dogs to make up for the missed opportunity though, and this time the bounce went their way. After Kondrat had to retrieve her stick along the end boards, she got lost in coverage and emerged from behind the goal line just in time to have an Isabella Pozzi point shot carom off her leg and past Kliewer for her first goal of the season.

“I turned around to our coaches and said ‘that’s the one that we should have got on the other call,'” Kook said.

Meanwhile at the other end of the ice the Huskies defence continued the stifling play that’s been on display early this season, keeping the Cougars to the outside and allowing their goaltender, Camryn Drever, to see every shot sent her way. They tightened up even further in the third, holding Regina to just six shots on goal in the final frame. Regina’s best chances came in the final two minutes with Kliewer pulled for the extra attacker, but Drever held the fort and Kelsey Hall salted the game away, putting her third goal of the season into the empty net with 10 seconds left.

Goal scorers Hall, Dyer and Kondrat make up the Huskies fourth line but Kook doesn’t see the trio that way.

“Mal is just so strong down low as a centre. She was about 50 per cent on faceoffs but just the d-zone strength and awareness was pretty good. And then Hallser and Kara were really good on the walls, which we needed in the third,” he said.

With 23 saves on the night, Drever earned her 13th career shutout and second of the season. The fifth-year goaltender has allowed just three goals in four starts to begin the 2023-24 season.

“Feels pretty good. I wasn’t super happy with my (MacEwan) game, the goal that I let in, so I think that it’s a good bounce-back from that this weekend,” Drever said.

The Huskies now return to Merlis Belsher Place to wrap up the home and home series on Saturday night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. as the Dogs look to make it six straight wins to open the season.

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X/Twitter: @RFlahertypxp

by Ryan Flaherty

Huskies blank Cougars to extend unbeaten start

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