SASKATOON, SK -  The fifth place Saskatchewan Huskies welcomed the nationally ranked Mount Royal Cougars to Merlis Belsher Place on Friday night. The Cougars are tied for eighth in the U SPORTS rankings. This close to playoffs, it's more important than ever to grab a win but the Huskies weren't able to outshoot the Cougars, who would take the 3-2 win. 
 
Saskatchewan was given the first power play of the game heading to the man advantage just five and a half minutes into the game but were held scoreless. MRU took their first chance after Huskies defenceman Evan Fiala went to the box for holding midway through the period. Roddy Ross and Saskatchewan would hold strong and kill it off. All in all it was the Huskies with a parade to the penalty box, taking four minor penalties in the frame. MRU took two themselves but neither team was able to find the back of the ned and the game was tied at 0-0 after twenty minutes of play. Shots were 14-8 in favour of the Cougars.
 
The second period saw MRU start on the advantage as 1:55 seconds of the late Huskies penalty in the first period carried over into the frame. Saskatchewan was able to the powerplay and get it back to even strength. Just under six minutes into the period, Saskatchewan's Alec Zawatsky and MRU's Andrew Fyten would head to the box with coincidental unsportsmanlike conducts. It was the Cougars who would strike first on the night when Moe Hakim would score with just over five minutes remaining in the period to lead 1-0 through two. Shots in the period were 8-6 in favour of the Huskies.
 
The third period saw the Huskies needing to mount a comeback. Jaxon Kaluski would answer the call just 48 seconds into the period off the Rhett Rhinehart and Liam Keeler assists to tie it at 1-1. MRU's Blake Stevenson would give the Cougars the lead with 7:08 remaining in the third. Spencer Moe extended the Cougars lead with 2:59 left in the period to put the Huskies in trouble. Justin Ball would makeit interesting, scoring with 42 seconds left but that is as the Huskeis would get as they fell 3-2 to the Cougars. The Cougars outshot the Huskies 12-9 in the third period. 
 
It was Roddy Ross in net for the Dogs, stopping 29 of 32 in the loss. Shane Farkas got the win for the visiting Mount Royal squad, stopping 23 of 25 in the contest. 
 
Depending on how the weekend shakes out, tonight's game could be a preview for next weekend's Canada West quarter finals. The Huskies will be on the road next weekend but who they will play is still yet to be determined. 
 
Coach Brandin Cote had some positive takeaways from the loss. "I thought it was a hard-fought game. Their big guys didn't get a point, their depth guys found ways to score. We found a way to stay in it."
 
Saskatchewan will have a bit of a chance to decide their own fate. A win on Saturday and a UBC point would send them to Calgary to take on the Cougars in a rematch next weekend. Alberta and UBC are both possible opponents depending on Saturday nights scores. 
 
NEXT UP
The Huskies on the ice at Merlis Belsher Place for the last regualr season home game at 5:00 PM on Saturday. Tickets are available at HuskieTickets.com.