WINNIPEG – It was a game that usually saw one team down a player, but all the Bisons cared about was being up by one at the end of regulation.

The University of Manitoba Bisons edged the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 3-2 Saturday evening to come away with a three of four points on the weekend. The Horns defeated the Herd 4-3 Friday evening in a shoot-out.

“Lethbridge was a desperate team. They played a gritty road style game. Clogged things up and bored us to death,” said Bisons head coach Don MacGillivray. “I didn’t think we showed the killer instinct we needed to show. Especially last night, we’re up 2-0, had a chance to bury them and let them back in the game.”

Manitoba got goals from Mark Olafson, Rick Wood and Wade Davison while Mark Shefchyk and Tyler Stella replied for Lethbridge.

With the win, the Bisons improve to 12-11-1 and a chance to move up in the standings next weekend when they travel to Alberta to face the No. 9-ranked University of Calgary Dinos. The Dinos began the evening two points up on the Bisons. The Pronghorns drop to 6-17-1 and remain entrenched in the Canada West cellar.

“We’ve accomplished our first goal which is to make the playoffs,” said MacGillivray. “Our objective now from here on in to try and get our faces of our game going so that when we do play in the playoffs we not having to correct little mistakes.”

With more Pronghorns and Bisons in the penalty box than a nature preserve, Manitoba was able to open up the scoring. Playing four-on-three hockey, the Herd used the extra man to work the puck around with Olafson getting the final touch. His point shot beat Horns netminder Scott Bowles under his right pad. Olafson’s third of the year came at 3:51 of the opening stanza.

Lethbridge evened the score before the end of the first period. Shefchyk picked up a rebound behind the Manitoba net and threw it back on goal. It redirected off Bison goaltender Krister Toews and into the back of the net. Shefchyk’s unassisted goal was his fourth of the season coming at 18:44.

Stella pulled the Pronghorns ahead at 14:14 of the second period. His shot as he streaked in from the right wing beat Toews low and gave Lethbridge a one goal lead.

Manitoba quickly responded, tying the game just under two-minutes later. Kyle Howarth put a shot on net from the right of Bowles. Wood was there to gather up the juicy rebound and deposit his 11th goal of the year. That knotted the game at two-a-piece at 16:09.

The Bisons didn’t get the start they wanted in the third period, taking two penalties 27-seconds apart in the first minute. The Herd were able to kill off the two-man advantage despite being hemmed into their own end by the Pronghorns for most of the powerplay.

Davison gave Manitoba the lead at the 8:50 mark. Cole Hunter went through two Lethbridge defencemen, then passing off to Davison. He snapped a shot past Bowles beating high on his glove hand for his first goal of the season and eventual game winner.

Toews made 18-saves to pick up the win for the Bisons while Bowles stopped 25-shots in the losing effort.

Manitoba now heads on the road to face the Dinos next Friday and Saturday. Lethbridge will head to Regina, to take on the Cougars. The same team they are trailing for the final playoff spot.