Getting a three-point night from Travis Kornelsen, the Bisons improved to 3-2-0 on the season, keeping pace in the competitive Canada West standings this season. With the loss, the Golden bears drop to 4-2-1.

Kornelsen had two goals –his first and second of the season - and an assist to lead the Bisons.

"It was good to finally get the first one out of the way," said Kornelsen. "I was due, let's put it that way. First four games I didn't have any touch and tonight I was lucky enough to bury my chances."

The Bisons were able to play controlled hockey, not forcing situations, capitalizing on the opportunities they were given while still limiting the always dangerous Bears opportunities.

"At the start of the year, we've been taking some penalties and we addressed that. We knew that against this Alberta team, they're good on the powerplay. They have a lot of skilled players so we couldn't do that tonight."

Mike Hellyer also had two goals while Riley Dudar rounded out the scoring for Manitoba. Alberta had goals from Eric Hunter, Derek Ryan and Brian Woogler.

"To be successful against them you have to do a good job penalty-killing and capitalize on your chances on the powerplay and that's what we did today," said Bisons head coach Don MacGillivray.

"We showed a little bit of panic at the end of the game tonight, like Saskatchewan." A 4-3, last-minute loss to the Huskies two weeks ago. "I thought we settled down after the timeout tonight and our guys did a better job showing some composure. That's kind of the lesson you learn from against Saskatchewan. As you get into those kinds of situations you have to try to overcome and I think we did a good job of that tonight. I think our guys battled hard tonight and that's the difference. They're a great hockey club over there and we're going to have to being even better tomorrow for sure, but we'll take the win and try to be as good as we possibly be tomorrow."

Manitoba opened the scoring on the powerplay at 10:19 of the first period when the Bisons had the Golden Bears goalie Aaron Sorochan chasing the puck and out of the position. Nick Cowan dumped the puck behind the net, which Sorochan went to play, but Kornelsen beat him to it, who put it out in front for Dudar and the easy score.

Kornelsen scored his first of the game, tracking down a puck on the left wing, and whistled a shot past Sorochan on the short blocker side. That put the Bisons up by two at the 15:35 mark.

Alberta cut the deficit to one before the end of the first, scoring right off the face-off. Ian McDonald won the draw to the right of the net, pulling it back to Hunter, whose left-handed shot beat Krister Toews. The Bears first goal came at 17:33.

Eight minutes into the second period, the Bisons had a goal disallowed when the referees ruled a high stick put it in. The puck appeared to change directions twice on a shot from the point – one tip forcing Sorochan to his left and the other causing it to bounce up and over the Alberta goalie before it hit the crossbar and in. Less than a minute later, Sorochan's crease was once again the scene of conflict, when a Bisons shot triggered a pile-up on top of the Bears netminder. From it Alberta's Hunter and Ryan Stempfle were assessed roughing penalties and Manitoba's Cowan was also given a goalie interference penalty.

The Bisons capitalized with the man-advantage, scoring only 33-seconds after the squirmish. Hellyer kicked a initial shot Rob Smith up to his stick, to pot the Bisons third goal. That made the score 3-1 at 12:46 of the second.

Kornelsen notched his second goal, as he streaked to the net, chipping a Stephane Lenoski shot from the point past Sorochan. The eventual game winner came at 17:43.

Once again, the Bears scored to close out the period and again right from the face-off. Only five-second after Mark Olafson took roughing penalty, Alberta won the draw back to the point, who put a pass to Richard Hamula to the right of Toews, who tapped it in front for a charging Ryan, and the quick tic-tac-toe goal. Ryan's goal came with only :12 seconds remaining in the second.

Alberta pulled with in one, late in the third when Woogler jumped on a rebound given up by Toews. That made the score 4-3 at 17:07, but Hellyer added his second, an empty netter with only :09 remaining to seal the win.

Toews made 22-saves for his third win of the season, while Sorochan made 23 in the losing effort.

The Golden Bears and Bisons will play game two of their weekend series, Saturday evening at the Max Bell Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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