EDMONTON - Rookie Abby Soyko and second-year Allison Reich both scored to lead a youthful Pandas squad to a 2-1 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies Friday night at Clare Drake Arena.

The win vaults the Pandas (4-3-0, 8 points) into third place in the Canada West, while the Huskies (3-2-2, 8 points) drop a spot into fourth on the tiebreaker.

The game started off with a bang - or board, rather - as the Pandas were sent to the power play just 28 seconds into the game on a Huskies boarding call. A few high-danger chances were set aside by Huskies goaltender Camryn Drever early to leave it scoreless.

The teams would trade a few penalties and low-event hockey until the 6 minute mark in the first, when rookie Abby Soyko potted her second on a beautiful cross-ice pass from second-year Danica Namaka to put the Pandas up one. It was her second goal in three games in what has been an impressive start to her Canada West career.

The score would stand at 1-0 going into the first intermission, with the Pandas in control for large swaths of the opening period. They outshot the Huskies 9-2, aided slightly by a 2-1 power play advantage in the frame.

Fourth-year Pandas netminder Halle Oswald was tested early in the second on a Bronwyn Boucher shot in close, but turned aside one of her 15 saves in the game. 

Five minutes into the period the Pandas would strike again, a fluttering puck redirected by Allison Reich off a Bree Kennedy initial shot that found its way over the shoulder of Drever. It was Reichs first of the campaign to bring the score to 2-0.

The Huskies managed some good chances on Oswald in the middle of the period, particularly on a power play where they had some high-danger opportunities but she stood tall against all five shots in the period.

Equally impressive was her counterpart, Drever, who faced a flurry of Pandas shots to close out the frame. Pandas offseason addition Cassidy Maplethorpe was denied a sure goal unchallenged in the slot but Drever somehow managed to collect the puck behind her pads to keep Saskatchewan in the game. She finished with 24 saves on 26 shots.

It was a quiet third period most of the way through until the Huskies Mallory Dyer wristed one home from around the half-circle to spoil the shutout and make it a one-goal game with three minutes to go. They would sustain pressure in the Pandas zone but the hosts were able to close it out and hold on for a 2-1 victory. 

The teams return to action tomorrow for an afternoon clash at Clare Drake Arena.