MRU Cougars’ season ends with 4-3 quarter-final loss to Windsor Lancers

The Windsor Lancers defeated MRU Thursday in a quarter-final game at the University Cup in Halifax.

The Mount Royal Cougars’ quest for a national championship fell short Thursday when they lost 4-3 to the Windsor Lancers in the University Cup quarter final in Halifax.

The Lancers were outshot 41-20 but Max Donoso was stellar in net for Windsor, who built a two-goal lead and then hung on for dear life to advance to the semi-final.

After Windsor opened the scoring on a first-period goal by Alex Cunningham, the Cougars got even early in the second on a goal from Tristan Zandee, sending the two teams into the third tied at a goal apiece.

However, the Lancers got two goals 11 seconds apart early in the third from Jacob Boucher and Brady Hinz to jump out to a 3-1 lead.

With a little over 12 minutes remaining, Connor Bouchard scored on a power play to pull the Cougars to within a goal at 3-2 but Alex Cunningham scored at 10:41 to restore Windsor’s two-goal lead.

The Cougars’ Josh Tarzwell cut the lead to a goal with a little over two minutes to go, but the Lancers hung on for the victory.

Bouchard was named the player of the game for Mount Royal, which made its second straight appearance at the national championships.