The University of Regina men's hockey team got off to a quick start in Edmonton on Saturday night but ended up falling 6-3 to the Alberta Golden Bears.

It was Dylen McKinlay who opened the scoring, just 1:53 into the opening frame. McKinlay collected a loose puck off an Alberta turnover and rifled a shot past Luke Siemens to open the scoring for the Cougars.

The Golden Bears peppered Lucas Gore for the remainder of the game, rattling off six straight goals to take a 6-1 lead. Brennan Yadlowski, Josh Derko, Stephane Legault, Drew Nichol, Jesse Craige and Jordan Rowley each scored for Alberta.

Sanfred King and Troy Hunter would score late in the third to draw Regina closer, but 6-3 was as close as the Cougars would come.

McKinlay assisted on King's goal, which came with a man-advantage, while John Sonntag and John Neibrandt collected helpers on Hunter's goal.

Gore tallied 46 saves for the Cougars, while Siemens turned away 18 shots for the Golden Bears.

The Cougars drop to 6-14-2 with the loss, five points back of provincial rivals, the Saskatchewan Huskies. The Huskies hold the sixth and final playoff spot in the conference. Alberta improves to a conference-best 19-3 with their sixth-straight win.

The Cougars will host the Manitoba Bisons, who are in fourth place in the conference at 11-11.