QUICKLY
Allison Reich's goal with five minutes remaining lifted the No. 3-ranked Alberta Pandas to a 2-1 victory over the Regina Cougars on Friday night at The Co-operators Centre in Regina.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams traded goals in the first period. Alberta's Natalie Kieser got behind the Regina defence seven minutes in and Payton Laumbach hit her with a nice stretch pass to send Kieser in all alone. Kieser fired a shot blocker side on Regina goalie Natalie Williamson to give the Pandas the lead.
• The Cougars replied just a few minutes later when Lauren Focht tried to find Trinity Grove in the slot from behind the net. The puck was knocked away from Grove, but Regina captain Paige Hubbard was there to pounce on the loose puck and score her team-leading seventh goal of the campaign.
• Regina took over the game in the second period, outshooting Alberta by a lopsided 13-3 margin in the middle stanza. But the Cougars couldn't beat Alberta goalie Grace Glover, and the Pandas broke through with what would turn out to be the game-winning goal late in the third. With Glover pulled for the extra attacker with a delayed Regina penalty upcoming, Reich wheeled into the slot and snapped a low shot by Williamson to put Alberta up.
• Regina pulled Williamson with three minutes remaining and Alberta was whistled for a hooking minor soon after, but the Cougars weren't able to tie it up despite a full two minutes of 6-on-4 hockey.

NOTES

• Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play. Regina finished with a 28-18 advantage in shots on net.
• Alberta improves to 17-3-1 on the season with the win. The Pandas are closing in on clinching first place in Canada West's East Division, and could do so as early as next weekend.
• The Cougars fall to 9-6-4 with the loss, but remain in second place in the division thanks to Saskatchewan's 2-0 road victory over Manitoba.

NEXT UP
The two teams will square off again on Saturday night at The Co-operators Centre. Puck drop is set for 5:00 PM.