Horns Lose Home Opener
Two third period goals by the Saskatchewan Huskies lifted the visitors over the Lethbridge Pronghorns, spoiling the Horns home opener after starting the season with two consecutive road weekends.
Early on the Horns found themselves on their heels, after taking two consecutive penalties and with the Huskies buzzing, the Horns lit the lamp first. Freshman Paul MacDonald intercepted a errant pass and sent senior Tyler Stella in on a breakaway. Stella had a clean path from the red line in and deked Huskie goaltender Jeff Harvey (St. Albert, AB, 4th) to the backhand and put it under the bar. That would be all the scoring in the opening period where the Huskies held a definitive advantage in shots and opportunities.
The Huskies got the equalizer off a Horns turnover, which became the theme of the night. Steven Gillen(Kindersley, SK, 2nd) found defender Zach Sim(Saskatoon, SK, 1st), who had jumped up in the rush, back door for a tap in. Saskatchewan continued to make the Horns pay dearly for their turnovers. After another neutral zone turnover, newcomer Michael Kaye(Saskatoon, SK, 1st) received a pass from Colin Patterson(Saskatoon, SK, 3rd) high in the slot and blew a shot over sophomore goaltender Scott Bowles glove hand to give the Huskies their first lead.
Before the second stanza, the Horns would equalize the game, Steve Zmudczynski (Thorold, ON,3rd) collected a rebound off the back boards and chipped it over Harvey’s glove. After two periods of play, the Huskies held a 21-11 shot advantage.
The Huskies regained their lead before the final period hit the halfway mark, when conference leading scorer Steven DaSilva (Saskatoon, SK, 3rd) intercepted a Horns cross ice pass and found a streaking Casey Lee (Kindersley, SK, 3rd). Lee stepped into the circle and blasted a slap shot short side on Bowles. Just over four minutes later, Gillen picked up a live rebound off the back boards and beat Bowles from in tight.
The Horns cut into the lead with only 19 seconds remaining on the power play, Zmudczynski found Dustin Moore (Red Deer, AB, 2nd) all alone, for a tap in. The Horns could not generate anything in the final seconds to get the equalizer.
With the loss the Horns fall to 2-3-0, while the conference leading Huskies improve to 5-1-1. Both teams were able capitalize once the power play, the Horns on three chances and the Huskies had six opportunities.
by Eoin Colquhoun, U of Lethbridge Sports Information
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