SASKATOON, Saskatchewan – Third-year forward
Mikhailo Simchuk (Kyiv, Ukraine) scored his eighth goal of the season, but the Trinity Western Spartans surrendered four first-period goals in an 8-1 loss to the No. 3 Saskatchewan Huskies Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon, Sask.
The Spartans fall to 0-9-1 in Canada West play, while Saskatchewan improves to 9-1 with its sixth consecutive victory. The Huskies completed the weekend sweep after a 2-0 win Friday.
Simchuk scored at 12:56 of the first period to cut the Saskatchewan lead to 3-1, extending his program record to 26 Canada West regular-season career goals. First-year defenceman
Riley Joslin (Langley, B.C.) and second-year forward
Danylo Korzhyletskyi (Kyiv, Ukraine) earned the assists.
Second-year goaltender
Steven Bacovsky (Calgary, Alta.) made 53 saves for TWU, including 23 in the opening period. Saskatchewan held a 61-30 advantage in shots, while Bryan Thomson stopped 29 shots for the win.
Alex Bernauer and Liam Keeler each scored three goals for the Huskies. Logan Bairos and Braxton Buckberger added a goal and an assist apiece, while Tyson Yaremko collected two assists. Keeler scored twice on the power play.
UP NEXT
The Spartans return home to host the Regina Cougars Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14, at the ARENAS at the Langley Events Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PT) Friday and 3 p.m. (PT) Saturday, with both games available live on Canada West TV.
QUOTABLE
Ben Walter, TWU Head Coach
"Tonight was not our best effort as a group but there is a lot to learn from and credit to U of S for playing a very strong game. We are looking forward to preparing to host Regina next weekend and welcoming and honouring our Alumni."
AS IT HAPPENED
Bernauer opened the scoring at 4:37 of the first period, assisted by Bairos and Yaremko. Keeler doubled the lead on the power play at 7:00, with Chase Bertholet and Carter Stebbings drawing the assists, then added an unassisted goal at 10:01 to put Saskatchewan ahead 3-0. Simchuk answered at 12:56, assisted by Joslin and Korzhyletskyi, but Buckberger restored the three-goal margin just 26 seconds later. Logan McCutcheon and Yaremko earned the assists as the Huskies took a 4-1 lead into the intermission. Saskatchewan outshot TWU 27-9 in the period.
Bernauer scored his second of the game, unassisted, at 5:18 of the second period. Keeler completed his hat trick with a power-play goal at 11:10, assisted by Jaydon Dureau and Landon Kosior. Bacovsky made 19 saves in the period as Saskatchewan outshot TWU 21-8 and carried a 6-1 lead into the third.
The teams were scoreless through the first 16 minutes of the final period before Bairos scored at 16:01, assisted by Tyler Parr and Ashton Ferster. Bernauer completed his hat trick 20 seconds later, with Buckberger collecting the assist. Each team recorded 13 shots in the third.
NOTABLE
- Saskatchewan outshot TWU 61-30, with period totals of 27-9, 21-8 and 13-13.
- TWU finished 0-for-3 on the power play, while Saskatchewan went 2-for-6. The Spartans took seven penalties for 14 minutes; the Huskies took four penalties for eight minutes.
- TWU is now 1-15 all-time against Saskatchewan, with all 16 meetings coming in Canada West regular-season play. The Spartans are 0-10 in Saskatoon, and the Huskies have won the last six meetings.
- Fifth-year defenceman Zack Whittaker (Victoria, B.C.) led the Spartans with six shots, while Korzhyletskyi had four. Keeler led the Huskies with nine.
- Simchuk has scored eight of TWU's 25 goals through 10 Canada West games this season.
- Bacovsky matched the 53 saves made by fifth-year goaltender Raphael Audet (Rimouski, Que.) in Friday's series opener. The two Spartans goaltenders combined for 106 saves on 116 shots over the weekend.
- Audet holds TWU's single-game saves record with 68, set in a 5-4 overtime loss to Saskatchewan on October 17, 2025.
- Bernauer's hat trick accounted for his first three goals of the season. Keeler increased his season total to seven, while Buckberger scored his first and Bairos his third.
- The Spartans return home after four consecutive road games against Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track and field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes independently in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since joining U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 15 U SPORTS team championships and 35 Canada West team championships.
About Trinity Western University
TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning and holds three Canada Research Chairs. Through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education, TWU offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and adult degree-completion programs that equip leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
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