EDMONTON - A terrific first half, added by a heavy tail wind, was enough to send the MacEwan Griffins over the Alberta Pandas with an eventual 4-2 win. 

MacEwan jumped ahead 3-0 with three tallies in the first 44 minutes, out-shooting the Pandas 12-8 which included a post and one crossbar. The win gives MacEwan four of a possible six points in their weekend series against the Pandas, which included a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon. 

While the Pandas had a better second half with the wind behind their backs, it wasn't enough to overcome the head start they spotted the visitors. Both Pandas goals came from the penalty spot, with Wanda Czebreszuk scoring in the 45th minute to trim the MacEwan lead before the half, and former Griffin Mimi Vignjevic scoring in the 90th. Autumn Wynn made five saves in the loss, which drops Alberta to 6-4-2. 

Sophie Lavalle scored twice for MacEwan, with Paige Colby and Ella Fownes each scoring for the Griffins. Leading scorer Hannah Harper added a pair of assists. Sabrina Alexander stopped five of the second shots she faced, as MacEwan improves to 9-1-2 in conference play. 

Their four-point weekend keeps MacEwan in striking distance of the top-seeded Calgary Dinos, as they trail the Dinos by two points with two conference games remaining. Alberta falls two points behind Saskatchewan for the fourth seed in the Prairie Division. 

Still reeling from a late Pandas goal in their 2-2 draw on Saturday, the Griffins opened Sunday's match by dominating the first half. MacEwan controlled the ball and scoring chances, getting on the board early and often. Lavallee scored the first of her two in the 18th minute, with Colby doubling the lead just eight minutes later with a bullet shot over Wynn. Fownes scored her second of the season in the 44th to give the visitors a three-goal lead. 

Czebreszuk responded with her third of the season from the spot, taking advantage of a MacEwan handball in the box. 

Trailing by two, Alberta pushed with the wind at their backs in the second. The Pandas outshot MacEwan 6-3 in the second, but were unable to get anything past Alexander. Lavallee's insurance marker in the 80th secured what would be a 4-2 win. 

Both Alberta and MacEwan will visit Calgary and Lethbridge next weekend to close out the regular season.