Huskies unveil quick-strike offence
Huskies 6, Cougars 2
Darren Zary, The StarPhoenix
Published: Saturday, October 04, 2008
Wouldn't you know it, the 2-0 hockey Huskies -- much to their delight -- began with a two-on-none.
A little more than a minute into Friday's game at Rutherford Rink, Casey Lee and Steven Da Silva found themselves skating in all alone on the University of Regina Cougars goal with all kinds of time to spare.
Lee and Da Silva proceeded to pass the puck back and forth, giving a dizzy Regina netminder Adam Ward absolutely no chance as Lee buried it into an empty net.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies finished with a 6-2 victory over the Cougars to improve their Canada West conference record to 3-0.
Regina is 0-1. The teams meet again tonight in Regina.
"That was a bit of a penalty-fest for both teams and we struggled with outdoor (soft) ice," said Huskies coach Dave Adolph, whose team was 3-for-10 on the power play. "The conditions weren't very conducive to a real free-flowing game, but we scored some good goals tonight and certainly early."
Cole Simpson, with a power-play marker, and Brad Erickson, who cut in from the left wing on a partial breakaway and deked Ward with nifty back-hander to the top shelf, gave the Dogs a 3-0 lead after the opening frame.
"It was a good start for my second weekend," said Erickson. "It was good to get that first goal off the shoulder and Zachary Sim gave me the helmet for player of the game, so I was pretty excited about that."
Regina got on the scoreboard with a two-man advantage. Dan Bohemier banged home a rebound on top of U of S netminder Jeff Harvey.
Da Silva restored a three-goal lead for the Dogs, tucking in the puck from behind the net as he squeezed it through Ward's skate and the goal post with 1:39 left in the second.
A power-play goal by defenceman Chad Greenan, his first as a Huskie, made it 5-1. Greenan completed a give-and-go with Erickson.
A mad scramble in front of Harvey resulted in a goal by Regina's Dylan Chapman to cut the lead to 5-2. A power-play goal by Derek Endicott sealed the deal for the Dogs.
Saskatchewan outshot Regina 30-29. The Cougars were 1-for-11 with the man-advantage.
"I don't think it was a lack of preparation on our part," said Cougars forward Cane Pearpoint. "They came out strong. We took a back seat. We have to come together as 20 guys, play like we can -- Cougar hockey."
DOG TALES: Three stars were 1) Erickson, 2) Da Silva and 3) Greenan . . . Among the spectators were a number of Huskie hockey alumni, including former goalie Thomas Vicars of Kamloops, B.C., gathered in town for the wedding of former captain Scott McQueen.
dzary@sp.canwest.com By Darren Zary
of The StarPhoenix
