EDMONTON – One team converted their chances and the other didn't, which is the simple way of distilling how the MacEwan Griffins lost 4-0 to the Alberta Pandas on Saturday night.

Even though the Griffins had their opportunities – a couple of breakaways and some point blank shots throughout the night – the Pandas were full marks for the victory, outshooting MacEwan 33-20 and carrying more of the play.

With the result, Alberta ends the first semester at 12-5-1, while MacEwan is 3-12-1. The Griffins will have their work cut out for them in the new year if they want a playoff spot as they're currently 10 points behind sixth-place Calgary, albeit with two games in hand.

On Saturday, Payton Laumbach scored twice in the first period for the Pandas, while Abby Soyko and Madison Willan added second period markers.

From there the contest devolved into one with little flow as a combined 46 minutes of penalties were called on the confounded combatants.

At one point late in the third, the officials huddled together and with captains of both teams for more than five minutes trying to sort out penalties for both sides. Either way, the night of a thousand whistles proved challenging for both teams.

Misty Rey earned a 20-save shutout for the Pandas – the first Canada West win and goose-egg for the Edmonton product – while Brianna Sank stopped 29 of 33 for the Griffins.
MacEwan now heads into semester break and is taking some time for self reflection before returning to try and snap a seven-game losing streak.