Box Score Box Score

The University of Regina's women's hockey team had a comeback come up just short on Sunday afternoon in a 3-2 loss to the No. 7-ranked Alberta Pandas at The Co-operators Centre.

The win leapfrogs Alberta (14-3-7) past Saskatchewan in the Canada West standings with the conference schedule now complete, and the Pandas will host the Huskies next weekend in a best-of-three Canada West semifinal series.

Alberta got on the scoreboard just over 30 seconds into the first when Karla Bourke deflected Sarah Hilworth's centering pass between the legs of Cougar goalie Lisa Urban. The Pandas struck again less than three minutes later on a wraparound by Katie Stewart to take an early two-goal lead.

The Cougars had a pair of breakaways in the first period, but Alberta veteran goalie Kaitlyn Chapman stopped breakaways by both Rianne Wight and Paige Wheeler.

Alberta added to its lead midway through the second on a nice passing play that was started by Nicole Pratt and finished by Hilworth. Hilworth had her second straight two-point game for Alberta, giving her a total of 29 on the season.

The Cougars scored twice before the midway mark of the third period to draw to within one, as Paige Wheeler connected for her 10th and 11th goals of the season. The U of R successfully killed off a lengthy 5-on-3 and pressed for the equalizer, but the Cougars weren't able to break through despite pulling Urban with over a minute and a half left and going on a late power play after an Alberta hooking penalty.

Regina finishes the season with a 7-15-2 conference record and in fifth place in the Canada West standings.

Alberta and Saskatchewan start their semifinal series on Feb. 17 in Edmonton.

NOTES: Stefanie Banilevic and Urban were both honoured before the game as the U of R's graduating fifth-year players ... Urban ends her career tied with Andrea Charanduk for the school's all-time lead in conference wins (30).