CALGARY – Harry Ahlberg scored the go-ahead power-play goal early in the third period and Caden Kemkaran-Humble added an empty-netter as the Mount Royal Cougars beat the University of Alberta Golden Bears 5-3 on Friday night.

Mount Royal jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a power-play goal from Bowden Singleton at 5:21 and an even-strength goal from Vaughn Watterodt at 8:24. Alberta answered late in the period, with Alex Thacker scoring on the power play at 17:53 with assists from Aidyn Hutchinson and Sam Popowich, and Harper Lolacher tying it at 18:57 with help from Adam Lang and Blake Gustafson.

Hutchinson gave the Golden Bears their first lead of the night, scoring on the power play 60 seconds into the second period off assists from Gustafson and Thacker. Connor Bouchard tied it for Mount Royal on the power play at 15:23, and the teams went to the third period level at 3-3.

Ahlberg broke the tie at 7:57 of the third, again on the power play, with Bouchard and Ty Gibson picking up the assists. Alberta pulled goaltender Beckett Langkow late in search of an equalizer, but Kemkaran-Humble sealed it into the empty net at 19:17.

Alberta out-shot Mount Royal 27-19, but Cougars goaltender Zach Zahara made 24 saves, including eight in the third period. Langkow stopped 14 shots in the loss. Mount Royal scored three of its five goals with the man advantage.

The loss drops the Golden Bears to 2-3-0 on the season, while Mount Royal improves to 4-1-0.

-UA-