October 19 - The University of Manitoba Bisons held off the charging University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the final minutes of the third period for a 3-2 win Friday night at Saskatoon’s Rutherford Rink.

The Huskies attempted a third period comeback after being down in the rest of the game. Manitoba opened the scoring at 18:02 in the first period with a goal by captain Leanne Kisil.

Manitoba continued to lead scoring their second and third goals in the second period. Erica Holmes and Brenna Leary knocked the puck in past Huskies second-year goaltender Chauntal Armet.

In the third period, the Dogs came out fighting. Dayna King scored at 2:47 into the third and captain Chelsea Purcell added the Huskies second at 17:47. But the fight ended there. The Dogs took a penalty with seconds left in the frame, killing the momentum of the comeback.

“Manitoba is very well coached, very fast and it’s the best they have seen all year,” said Huskies co-head coach Wayne Grund. “The goal tending is what kept them in the game the first period. Theresa Iginla’s line clicked and played extremely well. It’s the best defence game played all year.”

The Huskies fired 18 shots on Manitoba goalie Stacey Corfield and the Bisons threw 29 at Armet.

Manitoba’s Stephanie Messner was ejected from the game in the second period for checking from behind after the whistle.

In two team’s last seven meetings the Huskies have only beat the Bisons once. The win came off of a 1-0 shutout on Feb. 3, 2007. Prior to that the last Huskies win against the Bisons was on Jan. 13, 2006.

The Bisons and Huskies will meet again Saturday. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at Rutherford Rink in Saskatoon.

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