January 11 - The Bisons started strong, finished strong, and did what they needed to in-between.

That could also be a period-by-period summary of the University of Manitoba Bison 5-0 blanking of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, Friday evening. All five goals came with the opening or closing minutes of each period. The Herd got two goals from Addie Miles, while Katherine O'Rourke, Chantal Lacrocque, and Amanda Schnell each had singles.

It was also the Bisons third straight game holding their opponents scoreless as Stacey Corfield stopped 22 shots. After the game, Corfield was still elusive, being very sure not to say the "s"-word.

"The word you don't say," said the third year goaltender.

Corfield and Dana Hoogsteen have combined to give Manitoba 183:24 minutes of un-blemished hockey. Friday evening was Corfield's second straight "donut" and third of the year. Dana Hoogsteen registered the middle "bagel" of the streak against UBC last weekend. Corfield has enjoyed the last several games but knows she can't lose focus.

"Just have to make sure that every puck that's in our zone I'm following it. Eyes on it at all times just in case the puck squirts through," said Corfield. It something Bisons head coach, Jon Rempel says the two goalies have really worked on this year.

"When we need a big save, they have to be there even if they're not getting a lot of work and getting pressure down in the end," said Rempel. "It's a mental exercise for them to stay focused and she did exactly that today. She made three or four really key saves in the game at key points that kind of kept the momentum our way."

With the win, Manitoba (No. 4) improves to 14-2-1, and will at least have a share of top spot in the Canada West standings with Alberta (No. 2). Saskatchewan (No. 10) drops to 6-8-3 and remain in fourth place.

Manitoba couldn't have asked for a better start. Only 45-seconds in, Miles walked from the left of Huskies net and got goalie Chauntal Armet to commit early. Miles stepped around Armet untouched, and slide the puck in the net for her eighth goal of the year.

Miles added her second to bookend the opening period. She managed to redirect Chelsea Braun's point shot down, and between Armet's five-hole. That gave Manitoba a 2-0 lead with 1:39 remaining in the first period.

O'Rourke closed out the second period with her fourth goal of the year. Standing alone in front of the Huskies net, she took a pass from Meghan Ross from behind the net, and snapped a shot past Armet. O'Rourke gave the Bisons a 3-0 lead with 1:09 left in the middle period.

1:19 into the third period, there was a wild scramble to the right of the Huskies net and Larocque was able to get her stick on it, poking it past Armet. It was Larocque's sixth of the season. Schnell finished the scoring for with slap shot from the point that went in straight in. Schnell's powerplay goal with 4:14 remaining was her first of the year.

Game two between Manitoba and Saskatchewan will go Saturday evening at 7 p.m. in the Max Bell Arena.

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