The University of Regina men's hockey team fell 5-3 to the Saskatchewan Huskies in the first game of a home-and-home set on Friday night. 

The Huskies opened the scoring with a pair of goals midway through the first off the sticks of Sean Aschim and John Lawrence. The Cougars would bounce back with a string of three unanswered goals but the Huskies notched three of their own en route to their 22nd win of the season.

Cougar goals were scored by John Sonntag, Ian McNulty and Zach McPhee. Andrew Johnson, Kendall McFaul and Connor Cox also scored for the hometown Huskies.

Sonntag and McNulty scored four minutes apart near the end of the first period to bring the Cougars even headed into the first intermission. Sonntag's marker was his first of the season as a wrist shot from the point fooled Jordon Cooke, while McNulty's ninth of the year came at the 17:51 mark as he finished off a two-on-one rush on the powerplay. Stephen Langford assisted on Sonntag's goal and Dillan McCombie and Troy Hunter earned helpers on McNulty's.

McPhee's goal came at the 9:21 mark of the second period, after he intercepted a pass in the Huskie zone and beat Cooke to put the Cougars up 3-2. Johnson evened it up before the second intermission and McFaull and Cox were both able to beat Dawson MacAuley in the third to give the Huskies the win.

MacAuley was busy in net, making 16 saves in the second period and 38 in total. Cooke stopped 28 shots at the other end of the ice.

The Cougars and Huskies will square off again on Saturday night for the regular season finale. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The Co-operators Centre.