Box Score Box Score
The University of Regina's men's hockey team kept its playoff hopes alive with a tight 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Friday night at The Co-operators Centre.
First-year defenceman
Mark Schneider's first career Canada West goal stood as the game winner after his shot from the point midway through the third period found its way through a maze of players into the back of the net.
The win moves the Cougars (5-16-2) to within three points of Lethbridge for the sixth and final Canada West playoff spot, and the U of R still has a pair of games in hand on the Pronghorns.
The Cougars opened the scoring just over four minutes into the contest on the power play, when some fancy passing between Schneider and
Russ Nielsen set up
Terrance DeLaronde for an easy goal. The Pronghorns then got consecutive power play opportunities, but couldn't capitalize.
In the second, the Cougars widened their lead on an even strength goal by
Craig Cuthbert just over seven minutes in when he cut down the left side and rang a shot off the post and in. The two-goal lead didn't last long, though, as Lethbridge's Winston Day Chief scored on a two-on-one and Justin Hollinger cashed in on a turnover shortly thereafter to knot the game at two.
The Pronghorns took their first and only lead of the game on a goal by Cass Mappin early in the third after he jammed the puck in at the side of the net, giving the visitors a 3-2 advantage. The Cougars replied four minutes later with Lethbridge's Taylor Gal in the box for a tripping infraction, as
Brett Leffler tied the game on a nice goal that resembled DeLaronde's first-period marker.
Tyler Penny and DeLaronde drew the assists on Leffler's sixth of the season, setting the stage for Schneider's heroics four minutes later.
Lucas Gore made five saves in the final minute to secure the victory and ended up stopping 18 shots in the win, while his Lethbridge counterpart Scott Bowles had 25 saves.
The Cougars and Pronghorns will meet again on Saturday night at The Co-operators Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.
