The #5 seeded Bisons defeated the #4 seeded St. Francis Xavier X-Women by a score of 3-1 in their second game of the four-day championship. The game was played in front of a crowd of over 600 at the University of Ottawa Sports Complex.

Manitoba will now await the result of the #1 McGill and #4 St. Francis Xavier (St. FX) game on Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. CT to find out who they will play against on Monday.

The game got off to a fast start, with Manitoba spending much of the first five minutes successfully defending their zone. The Bisons had three power-play opportunities in the first period (at 8:13, 13:04, and 18:12 mark), but were unable to convert. The Bisons were very aggressive in the second half of the period, four of which were on the power play. Addie Miles, Meghan Ross, and Amy Coates all contributed to the Bisons’ period total of 10 shots to the X-Women’s 6.

Netminder and Canada West First Team All-Star Stacey Corfield made several tough saves, including a half-breakaway chance on 2007-08 CIS Player of the Year Brayden Ferguson to keep the score tied at zero after one.

In the second, the Bisons broke their championship scoring drought (81:40) with a drop pass from Coates to Shannon Hoogsteen who fired home the first goal of the game at 1:40. Corfield continued to make big saves when it counted. X-Woman Christina Davis missed two in-close chances as the X-Women applied pressure on Manitoba. Halfway through the period, Bison Kacey Funk served two minutes for body contact, but Coates and the Bisons successfully defended their lead through the St. FX power play.

For the rest of the period, both teams fought hard for the puck, with St. FX pressing for the equalizer. At 14:33, Bison Tammy Brade gave the Bisons a 2-0 lead when she scored on a great one-on-one effort where she shot through the defender and past ST. FX goalie Katie Harvieux. Just a minute later at 15:31, Chantal Larocque scored Manitoba’s third goal of the period off a pass from Miles and Becca King in a scramble in front of the net. The line of King, Miles and Larocque continued to apply pressure for the rest of the period. With 28 seconds left in the second, Manitoba’s Funk again found herself in the penalty box, but the Bisons left the ice holding their 3-0 lead and 19-13 shot advantage.

In the third, a huge pad save by Corfield off Ferguson preserved the three goal advantage early in the final frame. Both teams traded penalties but there was no scoring five minutes into the third. The X-Women came on strong attempting to cut into the Bisons lead. Corfield made a shoulder save off Campbell at the seven minute mark. Manitoba had a power play halfway through the period, but failed to take advantage of it. With 8:15 left to play, the X-Woman Lindsay Brown stole the puck from Manitoba’s Holmes, and went in alone but Corfield made another save despite being barreled into. She was fine and played the rest of the game.

Emotions ran high as the game entered the closing minutes, and two players from each side entered the penalty box with 6:46 left to play. Chelsea Braun joined her teammates in the box, and another 15 seconds later, Brade left Manitoba with a two man disadvantage. The X-Women quickly capitalized at 5:52, when Amanda Church scored off a pass from Laura Grant, ending the shutout and making the score 3-1.

With 2:35 left in the game, Funk served her third penalty of the game, but a minute later the Bisons were at even strength when St. FX served a penalty to close out the game. Corfield had to make several saves as the X-Women came on strong in the closing minutes of the game, but shut the door. Manitoba fans celebrated as the Bisons left the ice with a 3-1 win, handing St. FX their first regular season or playoffs loss of the year.

Corfield, who was tied for first in Canada West this season with a .927 Save Pct, was the Manitoba player of the game. St. FX player of the game was Centre Amanda Church. Manitoba led the shot total at 30-18.

The Bisons hold a 5-3 overall record in the CIS National Championship in three appearances. They now have a 3-0 record in Game 2 of the Nationals.

The Championship is divided into two pools. Teams play one game against each Pool opponent and the winner of Pool A and Pool B advances to the Championship Final.

 
Stats on the CIS Championship website at: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_hockey/2008/results.cfm

SCORING SUMMARY(@ U. of Ottawa Sportsplex)

MANITOBA 3 ST. FX 1 (FINAL)

FIRST PERIOD

SCORING: No scoring

PENALTIES: StFX Ferguson (hooking) 8:13, StFX Davis (Body contact) 13:04, StFX Davis (holding) 18:12.

SECOND PERIOD

SCORING:

5.     Manitoba Shannon Hoogsteen (1) (Coates1:40

6.     Manitoba Tammy Brade (1) (unassisted) 14:33

7.     Manitoba Chantal Larocque (1) (Miles, King) 15:31

PENALTIES: Man Kacey Funk (body contact) 9:04, Man Kacey Funk (interference) 19:32

THIRD PERIOD

SCORING:

8.     StFX Amanda Church (1)(Grant,Boudreau)14:08 (pp)

PENALTIES:StFX Jessica Shanahan (tripping) 0:42, Man Messner (roughing) 1:49, StFX Campbell (body contact) 1:49, StFX Barrett (roughing) 10:49, StFX Hay (roughing) 12:35, StFX Davis (unsportsmanlike) 13:14, Manitoba Stebeleski (unsportsmanlike) 13:14, Manitoba Braun (holding) 13:24, Manitoba Brade (hooking) 13:40, Manitoba Funk (tripping) 17:25, StFX Grant (tripping) 18:24.

GOALS (by period)

Man: 0-3-0-3

StFX: 0-0-1-1

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)

Man: 10-9-11-30

StFX: 6-7-5-18

POWER PLAY:

Man: 0-6

StFX 1-5

GOALTENDERS

Man -  Corfield (W, 1-1, 18 shots, 17 saves, 60:00)

StFX – Harvieux (L, 0-1, 30 shots, 27 saves, 58:58)

PLAYERS OF THE GAME:

Man: Stacey Corfield

StFX: Amanda Church

ATTENDANCE: 619