January 18 - It took eight rounds and two tries in the shoot out, but Leah Copeland eventually won the game for the University of Alberta Pandas, 3-2, over the Manitoba Bisons, Friday night at Clare Drake Arena.

The winner of the weekend series will likely finish in the top spot of the Canada West and have home ice advantage throughout the Conference play-offs.

Copeland, the reigning Canada West Female Athlete of the Week, took the first shot for Alberta but was stopped by Bisons' goalie Stacey Corfield. The Calgary native, who has 20 points in 19 games, would exact her revenge with a forehand-backhand deke in the eighth round, giving the #2 ranked and defending CIS champion Pandas the win over the #5 ranked Bisons. Both teams came into the weekend with identical 15-2-0-1 records and had split their previous series in Manitoba. The Bisons scored a 3-2 victory on the opening night in November and then dropped a 2-0 decision to Alberta the next night.

Manitoba, thanks to a power-play tally from Meghan Ross, led after the first period, despite being out-shot 10-3.

The shot clock trend would continue well into the night as the Pandas finished with a 35-11 difference, including 13-2 in the second period and 3-0 in the over-time session.

Cami Wooster picked up her fifth goal in Canada West play, putting home an extra attacker advantage of her own at the 8:44 mark of the second.

Special teams were at it again in the third as defenceman Amanda Schnell, who sits eighth in Conference scoring from the blue line, notched her third goal of the season and put the Bisons back in front by one five minutes into the third period. Almost five minutes later, Canada West scoring leader, Jen Newton banked her 19th goal and 37th point, also on the PP, sending the teams to OT.

With nothing settled in the extra period, the teams headed to the shoot out. The teams, fittingly enough, each scored three times on their first seven shots, setting the stage for Copeland's finisher.

Addie Miles of the Bisons had a chance to her team in front, but a smart poke check from Alberta goalie Dana Vinge kept Miles' effort away from the goal. Copeland's nifty move in tight, sealed the deal for a 3-2 Panda win.

The two teams go at it again tomorrow night, 7:00 pm on Clare Drake ice.

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