Head coach Jon Rempel and the 0-2 Bisons women’s hockey team travelled to Saskatoon this weekend to take on the 0-1-1 U of Saskatchewan Huskies. The Bisons were looking for their first positive result of the season after a pair of losses at home against the U of Alberta Pandas.
The Huskies dominated the first period of Friday’s game, scoring a power play goal and outshooting the Bisons by a margin of 17-8. However, the Bisons were the better team for the duration of the game. Maggie Litchfield-Medd scored her second goal of the year on the power play two minutes into the second period. Nellie Minshull and Jessica Carswell added even strength goals for the Bisons before Saskatchewan got one back as Manitoba outshot the Huskies 17-5 in the period. Neither team scored in the third period as the Bisons held on for a 3-2 victory. Leiette Klassen turned aside 26-of-28 shots for the Manitoba’s first win of the season.
The script was much different on Saturday. Despite Manitoba outshooting Saskatchewan 14-5, the Bisons would see their 1-0 lead disappear, as Saskatchewan scored three goals in quick sucession. Leiette Klassen was pulled in favour of Dée-Ana Marion before the period was out. The Bisons got one back in the second period, but the Huskies put the game to bed in the third by adding two more, winning 5-2. Caitlin MacDonald and Captain Amy Lee had the goals for Manitoba.
The Bisons now have an improved record of 1-3, and will play against the Mount Royal Cougars next weekend at Max Bell Centre here on the University of Manitoba campus. The Cougars’ record is 2-1-1 after a pair of losses against the Alberta Pandas this past weekend.
