Hockey Huskies rout Pronghorns for weekend sweep

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies were too much for the shorthanded University of Lethbridge Pronghorns to handle in a 4-0  win Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place.

The Pronghorns came limping into Saskatoon, only having 10 forwards dressed for the two-game series due to various injuries.

With many players changing positions, Lethbridge lost 5-0 on Friday and couldn’t overpower a dog attack that kept coming in waves on Saturday.

“We continued playing the way we played last night in the first period tonight and it started to get away on the opposition,” Huskies head coach Dave Adolph said.

“Those are hard games, it’s hard for both teams at that point when it’s going downhill pretty hard.”

Shot totals tell a story the scoreboard couldn’t. Saskatchewan outshot Lethbridge 115-25 over the two-game set.

Second-year goaltender Taran Kozun was in net for the entire series as the Huskies opted to play its starter and continue with a predetermined goaltender rotation.

Even though Kozun never had to face more than eight shots in a period against the Pronghorns, he’ll celebrate the shutouts as if he saved 100.

“I haven’t had back-to-back (shutouts) in a long time,” he said. “After the first couple weekends I let quite a few in, so it’s nice to get the goals against (average) back down to where I’d like it.”

The wins position Saskatchewan atop the Canada West standings a month into the season and keep them undefeated at the new Merlis Belsher Place.

There’s one thing Adolph likes about his team above all else for his one-month report card.

“I think that our game is conducive to playing on this rink,” he said. “Rutherford certainly served its purpose, but it was very confining, and the way the game is played wide open now with speed and skill, this one is going to suit us better.”