The Bisons rounded off November with 5-2 and 4-3 victories over the University of Regina Cougars in a thrilling matchup. In the first match on Friday, Nov. 28, the Bisons came out strong, scoring three goals in the first period, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
The scoring got underway in the second minute [2:28] when Sara Harbus netted the first goal, assisted by Aimee Patrick. The Bisons continued to apply pressure, and Patrick added a goal of her own in the seventh minute [7:28], assisted by Izzy Mann. Before the period ended, Julia Bird scored a power-play goal, assisted by Dana Goertzen, to give the Bisons a 3-0 lead.
The Cougars threatened a comeback in the second period, but the Bisons’ defence held strong, allowing only one goal. Pippy Pritchard scored for the Cougars in the 17th minute [17:00], assisted by Cassidy Peters. Despite being outshot in the period, the Bisons maintained their lead heading into the third period.
In the third period, the Bisons dominated, scoring two more goals while allowing one. Peters scored for the Cougars before the first minute [00:36], assisted by Kaylee Dyer to make the score 3-2. Despite the Cougars trying to catch up with the Bisons, Bisons head coach Jordan Colliton was confident in the team. “Teams are going to have pushback whether we score or we get scored against, so it’s important that you’re able to have a short-term memory so that you continue to play the right way,” she explained.
The Bisons quickly responded with two power-play goals. Kelsey Huibers scored in the ninth minute [9:25], assisted by Patrick, and Brenna Nicol added the fifth goal 25 seconds after [9:50], assisted by Sadie Keller.
The game was not without controversy, as several players were sent to the penalty box throughout the game. Cougars’ Bailey McMaster was sent off for slashing, while Pritchard was penalized for boarding. For the Bisons, Keller, Sophia Anderson and Patrick were among those sent to the box.
Despite the physical play, the Bisons’ offence proved too much for the Cougars, as they outshot them 43-26.
Colliton expressed how the players felt after the win. “It feels nice that we finally came through — we started getting rewarded. I think in the first period when we started pouring it in, there was a bit of a relief for our group that finally all their hard work was paying off,” she said.
In the rematch on Saturday, Nov. 29, the Bisons secured a hard-fought 4-3 win in a shootout. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading chances and showcasing skills.
The Cougars struck first, with Olivia Leggett scoring a power-play goal in the sixth minute [6:15] in the first period. The Bisons responded quickly, with Patrick tying the game in the seventh minute [7:34]. The first period also saw Bisons’ Keller and Glory Plett and Cougars’ Makena Kushniruk sent to the penalty box for various infractions.
The Bisons took the lead in the second period, courtesy of Bird’s goal in the final minute of the period [19:06]. However, the Cougars refused to give up, and Shaylee Scraba leveled the score in the eighth minute [8:34] of the third period. Kaitlyn Gilroy gave the Cougars a 3-2 lead in the 11th minute [11:17], but Patrick scored a dramatic equalizer for the Bisons with seconds remaining in the third period, sending the game to overtime.
After a scoreless overtime period, the teams headed to a penalty shootout, where the Bisons emerged victorious. The Bisons outshot the Cougars 30-24, but it was goaltending and determination that ultimately decided the game.
