EDMONTON - Two goals in the final eight minutes was the difference as the third-seeded Alberta Pandas earned a 3-2 win over the sixth-seeded Regina Cougars, Friday night at Clare Drake Arena. 

The win gives the Pandas a 1-0 series lead in their best-of-three quarter-final series. 

The Cougars led for a majority of Game 1, thanks to a first period goal, and a go-ahead goal in the third period. However, the two late Alberta tallies erased all hopes of a series-opening upset win. Danica Namaka, Payton Laumbach and Megan Wilson scored for Alberta, with Wilson's game-winner coming with just over two minutes left in regulation. 

Olivia Leggett and Jenna Merk scored for the visiting Cougars, who are now 0-3 against Alberta in 2021/22. 

Leggett scored the game's first goal just over 11 minutes into the first, beating Pandas goalie Halle Oswald. Cougars starter Arden Kliewer stopped all nine shots she faced in each the first and second periods, as the Cougars tight defensive play gave them a 1-0 lead after two periods. 

Namaka tied the game at 1's early in the third, beating Kliewer with a wrist shot under the glove from the slot. 

The tie game would last just over a minute, with Merk scoring off a bad rebound coughed out by Oswald. 

Pressing for the equalizer, the Pandas started to pour shots toward Kliewer midway through the third. Laumbach, who was denied on a breakaway moments earlier, ripped in a cross-crease pass from Madison Willan to tie the game with eight minutes left. 

Wilson gave the Pandas their first lead of the game six minutes later, which would hold up to be the game-winner, beating the Cougars tender over the shoulder. 

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Megan Wilson gives the Pandas their first lead of the game!!!

Little over two minutes left in the third, and the Pandas lead 3-2! pic.twitter.com/kiYEYkuWuH

— UofA Pandas Hockey (@PandasHockey) February 26, 2022

Game 2 of their quarter-final series is slated for 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night, with a Game 3 going at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday if needed.