How sweet it is for hockey Huskies

By Darren Zary of The StarPhoenix

Huskies 3, Bears 2

For a power play which had been junk, a collection of garbage goals were a welcome sight.

On the strength of three power-play goals, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies put the broom to the defending national champion Alberta Golden Bears with a 3-2 win in Canada West conference men’s hockey Saturday at Rutherford Rink.

The weekend sweep — said to be the first over the Golden Bears in eight years — was huge for the Dogs.

“When one of the best teams, if not the best team in the country, comes into our barn and we’re able to get four points, that’s a big confidence boost,” said Huskies fifthyear forward Keegan McAvoy.

None of the Huskies’ goals Saturday were pretty. All three resulted from players pouncing on loose pucks around the net.

Trent Adamus and McAvoy each scored with the man advantage in the final two minutes of the first period and Mason Wallin added a power-play marker early in the third to give the Dogs a 3-0 lead.

“Our penalty kill came out big in the first two periods and we scored some,” said McAvoy. “That put them behind the 8-ball. Even at the end, guys were jumping in front of shots and stuff and committing themselves to winning. It’s good to see.”

The Dogs were 3-for-10 with the man advantage. Conversely, the Bears’ PP unit was shut down completely at 0-for-9.

“Some of the unsung heroes were guys like Jason Wagar, whose job basically was to make sure (Bears D-man) Harlan Anderson didn’t get any one-timers away,” said U of S coach Dave Adolph. “He did a fantastic job.”

Dylan Stanley and Jesse Gimblett replied for Alberta, which outshot Saskatchewan 31-27.

“We spotted them the three again,” said Bears coach Eric Thurston. “Against good teams you can’t do that. We haven’t learned.”

“Our specialty teams haven’t been as strong as they need to be. Obviously, their best penalty-killer is your goalie and (Jeff) Harvey played really well.”

Harvey made 29 saves. Wagar stopped a handful more along with a few of his teammates.

“I was just told to get in front of his (Anderson’s) shots,” Wagar said. “When you go out there with a guy like Twordy (Brent Twordik), he teaches you how to get in lanes, how to do things right.

“There’s a big history here and the guys really wanted to do well this weekend.”

Saskatchewan (8-5-0-1) has 17 points, while Alberta (8-2-0-2) has 18.

Just like they did Friday, the Dogs took a three-goal lead only to watch the Golden Bears battle back.

“We’re up 3-1 and the way our luck has been going all year, Endo (Derek Endicott) gets hurt (by an elbow to the head) and can’t get off the ice and, because they had possession, they go down and score,” Adolph said.

“I told Jeff Harvey he was going to steal one and he did.”