Calgary, AB- On Friday evening at the Flames Community Arenas the Mount Royal Cougars (4-1-2) kept their momentum rolling as they defeated the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns (1-5-1) by a score of 4-3 in dramatic fashion. Jamie King, David Stephens, Matthew Brown, and James McNaughton tallied for the Cougars while Kyle Moore, Mitchell Maxwell and Sam McKechnie scored for the Pronghorns in a losing effort.

Mount Royal came into the contest looking to stay hot after taking three points off of the University of Alberta Golden Bears last weekend. Meanwhile the Lethbridge Pronghorns were attempting to stop the bleeding after dropping each of their last four contests. 

Mount Royal had the first great chance of the game nine minutes in while shorthanded. David Stephens stole the puck from a Pronghorn defenseman at the center-line and broke in alone. Lethbridge goaltender Damien Ketlo stayed right with Stephens as he deked to his backhand, and turned the forward's breakaway chance away with his glove. 

With six minutes remaining in the first, Cougars forward Jamie King took a pass from Brady Gaudet in the offensive zone and proceeded to skate between two Pronghorn players into some rare open ice in the slot. From there King took a wicked wrister- sniping the puck above Ketlo's glove and into the cage. Gaudet registered his first point of the season on King's third of the year. 

The Cougars heavily out-chanced the Pronghorns in the first. It was thanks to a few strong saves from Ketlo and clutch defensive plays from Pronghorn defenders on a few Cougars' two on ones that the visitors went into the locker room just one goal away from equalizing the contest. 

Mount Royal's offensive dominance continued within the first two minutes of the second period. Cougars forward David Stephens, who was denied on a breakaway in the first period, this time received a beautiful dish from teammate Riley Point on a two on one and scored his first of the year. Stephens' marker, which could come as his easiest of the year thanks to Point putting his pass on a platter, put his team up by two. 

The Pronghorns fired back just seconds later. Defenseman Ryan Assman sent what looked like a harmless shot from the point towards the net. With Mount Royal goaltender Colin Cooper up looking to block the puck away Pronghorns rookie Kyle Moore, playing in his first game of the year, tipped the puck downward and past the Cougars goalie, cutting Mount Royal's lead in half. 

Five minutes later Lethbridge had an outstanding chance to tie up the game. Stepping out of the box Pronghorns forward Austin Kernahan received a long hail Mary pass with no Cougars within four strides of him. In alone Kernahan tested Cooper glove side, but the Cougars starter managed to just get enough leather on the puck to turn it aside. 

The Cougars two-goal cushion was restored with four minutes left in the period. Like a broken record this season- and the past three seasons for that matter- Mount Royal's first line trio connected. Tyler Fiddler hit Cody Cartier with a pass in the offensive zone. Cartier in turn gave the puck to Mount Royal's captain and leading point scorer this season, Matthew Brown, who lit the lamp for the sixth time this season. The second period ended minutes later, Cougars leading 3-1. 

The Cougars took back to back to back undisciplined penalties in the last eight minutes of the game, giving the Pronghorns a great opportunity to get back into the contest with an extended five on three. 

The three Cougars on the ice threw their bodies in front of four straight Pronghorn shots before a puck off a shin-guard found the tape of Mitchell Maxwell at the hash marks. From there Maxwell sent the puck over Cooper's blocker, putting his team within one of tying the game. 

The Cougars were able to kill off the final minute of the Pronghorns five on three, and the team finally looking to get back to even strength with three minutes left. However Brady Gaudet hit a Pronghorn forward from behind on the sideboards as the final penalty expired. The boarding call gave Lethbridge another odd man opportunity.

The Pronghorns made the Cougars pay. With less than two minutes remaining Pronghorns rookie Sam McKechnie notched his first of the year from a similar spot as Maxwell. The goal equalized the game at three, and it looked as if overtime was just over a minute away. 

Except just seconds after the goal it was the Pronghorns who took an in-opportunistic tripping penalty in their own zone. 

The Cougars had constant pressure in the Pronghorn zone for the duration of the power play. With five seconds remaining, the puck came to Cougars defenseman James McNaughton. Through a maze of players McNaughton let go a seeing eyes slap shot that went over top of Ketlo's blocker- winning the game for the Cougars. 

Mount Royal goalie Colin Cooper, improving to 4-0-1 with the victory, turned aside 24 of the 27 shots faced. Meanwhile Damien Ketlo stopped 29 of the 33 Cougars shots in the loss, as he drops to 0-2 on the year. 

The Pronghorns, who are now 2-9-2 lifetime against the Cougars, will have a chance at redemption in less than 24 hours as the teams will once again face off- this time in Lethbridge- for a 7 P.M. Halloween night contest.