The University of Regina's men's hockey team defeated the Trinity Western Spartans 5-2 on Friday night in Langley.
The Cougars line of
Riley Krane,
Ben Duperreault and
Turner Ripplinger dominated for a combined 10 points on the night. Krane scored two goals and got two assists while Duperreault and Ripplinger each had a goal and two assists. Spartans forward Brayden Brown scored both goals for his team. The Cougars had a massive 53-21 advantage in shots over the course of the game.
Four minutes into the game,
Riley Krane scored the opening goal after cleaning up a rebound off a
Turner Ripplinger wrist shot. Late in the period, Brown tied the game on an odd-man rush. A Spartans forward exited the penalty box and joined a 2-on-2 rush to create the mismatch. The Cougars controlled the puck in the first period, holding a 27-6 shot advantage.
The second period was all Cougars. Ripplinger scored at the halfway point of the period by cleaning up a scramble in front of the net. Krane then scored his second goal of the game and the eventual game-winner when Ripplinger found him all alone down low. With 3:23 left in the frame, Cougars defenseman
Tyler Heidt wristed a shot from the point that found the top right corner of the net for his first goal of the season. The Cougars took a 4-1 lead into the second intermission.
In the third period, Brown scored his second goal of the night on the Spartans first power play opportunity of the game to make it 4-2. Duperreault answered with five minutes left in the game, scoring on a sharp angled wrist shot to end any hope of a comeback.
Cougars goaltender
Brandon Holtby made 19 saves to secure his fourth win of the season. Isaac LaBelle made 48 saves but it was not enough as the Spartans goalie took his third loss of the year.
The Cougars (4-5) and the Spartans (0-7) face off again tomorrow, at 7:15 PST, in the George Preston Recreation Centre.
