The Bisons women’s hockey team had a split weekend against the Regina Cougars on Friday, Jan. 31 and Saturday, Feb. 1, showcasing both resilience and competitive spirit in two closely contested games at the Wayne Fleming Arena.
The first period began with the Bisons demonstrating their offensive prowess, applying significant pressure on the Cougars’ defence. Their aggressive play was evident, as they created several scoring opportunities early on. However, despite their dominance, they were unable to capitalize on their chances.
At 12:21 of the first period, the Cougars scored first. Forward Tessa Stewart found the back of the net, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead. The Bisons continued to push back, mounting a relentless offensive attack to equalize. Yet, the Cougars’ defence held strong, successfully blocking shots and limiting the Bisons’ scoring chances. As the first period ended, the Bisons found themselves trailing 1-0 despite their strong performance.
The second period mirrored the first, with the Bisons’ continuing press for a goal. The Bisons struggled to find the net, and the period ended without any goals scored, leaving the Cougars still ahead by one.
Entering the third period, the Cougars extended their lead at 7:31 when Paige Hubbard scored, making it 2-0. Brenna Nicol scored at 12:49, finally getting the Bisons on the scoreboard. The arena erupted with excitement as the Bisons cut the deficit to 2-1.
With just over seven minutes remaining, the Bisons pushed hard for the equalizer. They created several more scoring opportunities, but the Cougars’ goaltender stood tall, making crucial saves to maintain their slim lead. Though persistent, the Bisons could not find the back of the net again, and the game concluded with the Cougars emerging victorious at 2-1.
The rematch on Saturday, Feb. 1, was a chance for the Bisons to redeem themselves.
From the opening faceoff, the Bisons came out strong, demonstrating a more focused approach. The Cougars’ Pippy Pritchard scored the lone goal of the first period at 18:02, but the Bisons tied the game early in the second period courtesy of Kylie Lesuk at 3:49. The Bisons took the lead at 9:16 courtesy of Sophia Anderson, but the Cougars’ Cassidy Peters tied the game at 14:15. The Bisons took the lead for good by Norah Collins at 18:34.
As the game progressed, the Bisons maintained their momentum. They continued to apply pressure on the Cougars’ defence and were relentless in their pursuit of goals. The Cougars, while trying to regroup, found themselves on the defensive, struggling to contain the Bisons’ offensive onslaught.
In the third period, the Bisons added two more goals courtesy of Ashley Keller and Sadie Keller. The Cougars’ defender Jules Stokes scored a late goal, but ultimately, the Bisons secured a 5-3 victory.
While the Bisons faced disappointment in the first game, they came back strong in the rematch. The Bisons’ performance in the second match showcased the approach the team’s interim head coach Jordy Zacharias had in mind.
“We’re kind of getting to the end of the year where we’re starting to put all the pieces together. And the last piece of the puzzle is working on our offensive skills,” said Zacharias. “Going into today’s game, it was about playing confident, playing fierce, being bold with the puck and not being afraid to make mistakes. And I think that showcased well. Not only did we get five goals, but we had players that were really confident with the puck on their stick. And they wanted to play for each other and win for each other. And that’s when we finally had success.”
The Bisons women’s hockey team will face the Alberta Pandas on Friday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. CT and Saturday, Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. in Edmonton.
