SASKATOON, Sask. – For the second time in the past three seasons, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies are headed to the Canada West Final after defeating the UBC Thunderbirds 4-2 in game three of their semifinal series.

Trevor Wong scored the would-be game-winner with 3:32 remaining in the second period before Chantz Petruic added some insurance with a powerplay goal in the third to secure a 2-1 series victory and advance the Dogs to the conference championship and secure a berth in the 2025 U-Cup Championship.

Sunday's elimination game saw the Huskies get off to their best start of the series, as the home team controlled possession early and often in the Thunderbirds zone.

12 minutes into the first period Saskatchewan's stellar play was rewarded, when Dawson Holt found Parker Gavlas streaking down the left wing. Gavlas made a nice move in tight, opening the five-hole of UBC goalie Cole Schwebius, before burying his first career playoff goal for the lead.

Just three minutes later Holt was back on the rush, this time with Josh Pillar who found the fourth-year med student flying into the zone with a pass through the legs of a UBC defender. Making no effort to slow down, Holt flew by the crease, flipping the puck to his backhand before lifting it up and over the pad of Schwebius for a 2-0 Huskie lead.

"The past couple games we found ourselves behind early, which is difficult," said Holt, who finished the game with a goal and two assists. It's hard to come back in this league, especially against a really good team [like UBC]. So, finding a lead early definitely gave us a little bit of a cushion."

The second period saw the Thunderbirds flip the script on the Huskies, taking control of possession but USask goaltender Jordan Kooy kept the Dogs in front, flashing the leather on multiple occasions. Kooy would finish the game with 32 saves.

Midway through the frame, UBC finally broke through when Chris Douglas fought off two Huskie defenders before beating Kooy with a wrister blocker-side, cutting the lead to one.

Just seconds after the Thunderbirds' opening goal the Huskies were back on the attack, but a fantastic left pad save from Schwebius kept the damage to a minimum.

With just over three minutes to go in the period, Parker Gavlas got the Huskies going in a way that doesn't show up on the scoresheet. The fourth-year education major laid a huge hit on a UBC attacker, knocking him off the puck, and allowing Saskatchewan blueliner Ty Prefontaine to find former Saskatoon Blade Trevor Wong on a breakaway with a stretch pass. The former 100-point WHL forward made no mistake, making a move towards the glove-side of Schwebius before sending the puck into the back of the net for his first career Canada West playoff goal.

Despite looking like the Huskies would take a 3-1 lead in the locker-room, UBC's Cyle McNabb made a last-ditch effort while in the offensive zone. The former Medicine Hat Tiger scored glove-side with 10 seconds remaining, beating Kooy after the goalie was unable to locate the rebound from McNabb's initial shot.

Coming out for the third, the Thunderbirds carried over their strong play from the previous frame but the play of Jordan Kooy and Cole Schwebius kept it a one goal game.

On the powerplay after UBC's fifth penalty of the night, Dawson Holt picked up his second helper of the game, finding Chantz Petruic wide open for his third of the postseason.

Despite a last-ditch effort from the Thunderbirds with the goalie pulled late, the Huskie defence held on, ending UBC's season.

"Special teams," said UBC head coach Sven Butenschon when asked what the difference of the game was. "Five on five and we played these guys, what five times this year and haven't given much up. It's too many penalties and not even giving up the goals on the penalty kill. You lose your rhythm and the flow of your rotation and you start to lose guys."

The Huskies will host the Mount Royal Cougars next weekend (Mar. 7-9) in a best-of-three Canada West Final. The Cougars defeated the Alberta Golden Bears 2-1 in the conference's other semifinal series.

Following the Canada West Championships, the Huskies will wait a week before making the trip East for the 2025 U-Cup Championships in Ottawa, Ontario from March 20-23, 2025.

"It's fantastic, this is what we've been working for," said Brandin Cote when asked about qualifying for nationals. "Since I've been here, there's been lots of learning and there's been me putting my own flavor on things and getting to know people. The community and Huskie Athletics have been super, super supportive. I've been able to go and do my thing and bring in the people that we needed to and have the core leadership group that we've had to bring it along. We don't want to stop here, though, so we're really excited to have that opportunity at nationals."