EDMONTON - Rookie Golden Bear Ethan Kruger was steady and consistent, stopping all 27 Saskatchewan Huskies shots he faced in a 3-0 Golden Bears win. 

The shutout for Kruger, who now owns a 9-2-0 record, is his first as a Golden Bear in this his 11th Canada West start. The win also clinched a series sweep for Alberta over Sask (12-8-4), giving the Bears (17-5-2) their fourth-straight win overall. Kruger, a former Brandon Wheat King, now leads Canada West with a 1.82 goals against average and .929 save percentage. 

The win temporarily moves Alberta above Mount Royal into second in Canada West, however the Cougars have two games in hand on the Bears. Saskatchewan falls to fifth with the two losses this weekend in Edmonton. 

Jakin Smallwood, Justin Hall, and Ryan Hughes scored for Alberta, who outshot Saskatchewan 35-27. After surrendering five goals the night previous, Jordan Kooy turned in a better performance, stopping 32 of 35 in net for the Huskies. 

After a sluggish first, the Bears picked it up in the second, scoring three times on 18 shots. Smallwood opened the scoring with his 12th, beating Kooy over the shoulder from inside the circle. Hall doubled the lead with his 5th three minutes later, before Hughes notched his eighth with 1:29 left in the frame. 

Kruger stopped all 12 shots he faced in the second, and all nine he faced in the third to clinch the Bears win. 

Alberta will host the 7-13-2 Regina Cougars next weekend, while Saskatchewan will have a bye week. 
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