Men's Hockey | 10/3/2016 12:23:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The University of Regina men's hockey team closed their 2016-17 exhibition schedule with a pair of games south of the border on the weekend, falling 5-3 to the Minnesota State Mavericks and 6-2 to the St. Cloud State Huskies.

Regina travelled to Mankato for a Saturday night game against the Mavericks, and took an early 1-0 lead thanks to rookie forward Gray Marr. Marr's first goal in a Cougar uniform came just two minutes and 56 seconds into the game off an assist from Cody Fowlie.

The Mavericks answered with four-straight goals thanks to Zeb Knutson, Jordan Nelson, Brad McClure and Marc Michaelis to take a convincing 4-1 lead early in the second frame.  Three new faces to the Cougars collaborated midway through the second as Logan Harland scored off assists from Tristan Frei and Corey Kosloski.

Trent Lofthouse added a marker early in the third assisted by Carter Hansen, but McClure added his second of the game just a few minutes later to put things out of reach for the Cougars.

The Cougars were outshot 41-20 by the Mavericks, with Mitch Kilgore and Andy Desautels splitting time in net. Kilgore made 22 saves on 26 shots and Desautels stopped 14 out of 15 shots he faced.

Regina made the short trip over to St. Cloud to battle the Huskies on Sunday night, but fell behind early thanks to quick goals by SCSU's Patrick Newell and Ryan Papa. Isaac Schacher scored his first goal as a Cougar in the first period off assists from Brandon Halbgewachs and Zach McPhee, but Mikey Eyssimont added another for the Huskies before the end of the frame. 

J.J. Coleshaw (pictured) would cut the lead to 3-2 with a goal early in the second, assisted by Ian McNulty and Hansen, but the Huskies would score three straight thanks to Judd Peterson, Robby Jackson and Daniel Tedesco to put it away.

Dawson MacAuley stopped 13 shots for the Cougars and Kilgore made 11 saves as the netminders split time.

The Cougars will open their Canada West season on the road on Oct. 14 and 15, as they visit the Lethbridge Pronghorns.