The U of M Bisons men’s hockey team kicked off their 2025 Canada West East division campaign with a heart-stopping game against Trinity Western Spartans. Despite a valiant effort, the Bisons ultimately fell short, losing 6-3 on Friday, Jan. 10. However, leveraging their home-ice advantage and with resilience, the Bisons bounced back with a decisive 7-2 victory in the rematch on Saturday, Jan. 11.
The first period was a nail-biter, with both teams trading goals. Riley Stotts drew first blood for the Bisons at 1:07, but the Spartans’ Aidan Steinke quickly equalized at 2:16. Undeterred, the Bisons pushed forward, and Jackson Arpin scored at 5:37 to give his team a 2-1 lead. The period ended with three penalties, two against the Bisons’ Josh Paulhus and Stotts for slashing and roughing, respectively.
The second period was a defensive battle, with only one goal scored by the Spartans’ Christian Lowe at 13:54. This equalizer left the game deadlocked at 2-2 heading into the final period. The lone penalty of the period was against the Spartans’ Connor Ferren for roughing at 18:08.
As the third period got underway, the Bisons came out swinging. Stotts scored his second goal of the game at 1:07, identical to his first-period tally. This goal seemed to give the Bisons the momentum they needed, but the Spartans refused to back down. Jesse Pomeroy equalized at 13:10, and Matteo Lamoureux scored the go-ahead goal at 17:40. The Spartans team then sealed their victory with two late goals from Mykhailo Simchuk and Luke Spadafora at 19:05 and 19:15, respectively.
Despite the loss, the Bisons showed remarkable grit and determination. They were handed four penalties, with Skyler Bruce and Ben Bonni sent off for roughing at 12:05 and 15:34 in the third period, respectively. The Spartans’ Spadafora also received a roughing penalty at 12:05 in the third period.
The final score may not have gone in their favour, but the Bisons have sent a clear message that they are a force to be reckoned with in the Canada West East division. With a few adjustments and a bit of fine-tuning, they could be unstoppable.
As fans looked forward to the next game, they could only hope for a better performance from the Bisons. One question on some fans’ minds was, will the Bisons be able to turn the tables and secure a crucial division win?
On Saturday, Jan 11, the U of M Bisons men’s hockey team faced off against the Spartans in the highly anticipated rematch at the Wayne Fleming Arena.
The Bisons dominated the first period, scoring three goals and setting the tone for the rest of the game. Codey Behun opened the scoring at 2:43, followed by Dawson Pasternak’s goal at 5:09. Jonny Hooker sealed the deal with a third goal just before the end of the period, making it 3-0 in favour of the Bisons. The Spartans struggled to contain the Bisons’ offence, and their defence was breached time and time again.
The first period was marked by a series of penalties, with five infractions recorded. Bruce was sent off for four minutes for high sticking at 7:44, and shortly after returning to the game, he was sent off again for two minutes for hooking. Farren was also penalized for hooking at 3:57. Landon Fuller and Kade McMillen rounded out the penalties for boarding and delay of game at 18:07 and 19:20, respectively.
Despite the Spartans’ best efforts, the Bisons dominated the second period. Eric Alarie’s power-play goal at just a minute and a second into the period, extended the lead to 4-0, while Farren’s power-play goal at 8:51 put the Spartans on the board. The period ended with the Bisons ahead 4-1.
“They were really good on the power play, and that definitely cost us as well,” said Trinity Western head coach, Ben Walter.
The third period saw the Spartans mount a comeback, with Jonathan Krahn scoring a beautiful goal at 6:02 to make the score 4-2. However, the Bisons were not to be denied. Alarie scored his second goal of the game at 10:05 on the power play, followed by Bruce’s fantastic strike at 15:59. Michael King put the icing on the cake with a jaw-dropping goal to make the final score 7-2 in favour of the Bisons.
“We came out hard, we played good the first, the second and in the third we came out flat a little bit. But we found it at the end of the third, so I’m really happy with our win tonight,” said Bisons forward, Eric Alarie.
The Spartans’ Simchuk was sent off for slashing, while Riley Zimmerman served a penalty for too many men. Despite being outshot 36-27, the Bisons made the most of their opportunities, capitalizing on the Spartans’ mistakes and demonstrating their own offensive prowess.
“We capitalized on our scoring chances, really. We had chances last night, we just didn’t put them in,” said Bisons head coach, Gordon Burnett. “But we did create scoring chances, especially in the [offensive zone], which is typical for us, but not all that typical. Most of them come off the rush, so their goalie did a good job and we were able to put some by him tonight, so that really helped. I think it was just execution, but we created chances last night, we just didn’t finish them.”
As the Bisons look ahead to their next game against the Saskatchewan Huskies, they can take pride in their performance and build on the momentum they have established. With their offence firing on all cylinders and their defence holding strong, the Bisons are poised to make a deep run in the division.
“[Saskatchewan], they’re a really good team, but it’s not really about them, it’s about how we’re going to play,” said Burnett. “Every time we’ve played them since I’ve been here, I’ve thought there’s opportunities in the game — maybe if we were just a little bit further along in our development — that we could capitalize on.”
The win is a welcome relief and a reminder that the team is capable of greatness. As the division season heats up, the Bisons will need all the support they can get from their fans.
The Bisons men’s hockey team will play against the Saskatchewan Huskies on Friday, Jan. 17 and Saturday, Jan. 18 in Saskatoon.
