November 9 - It used to be a one-sided battle, but for now, it appears that there are two equal combatants.

For only the second time in their history, the University of Manitoba Bisons defeated the University of Alberta Pandas Saturday evening, 3-2. This may only be only the second victory for the No. 4-ranked Bisons, but it is also the second in two years over the defending national champs and No. 2-ranked Pandas.

"It's great for this program and hopefully it will get us some recognition," said Bisons assistant coach, Robert Voth. "People will take us more seriously now, but in saying that, the Pandas are always a strong team and for us to beat them took a whole team effort. It means a lot to the program to beat them twice, and to give them their second loss."

Both teams were looking to get back on track after each suffering their first loss of the season last weekend, but it was the Pandas that wound up dropping their second straight. Alberta now falls to 7-2-0 on the season while Manitoba improves to 8-1, and hold sole possession of top spot in the Canada West standings.

Manitoba got goal from Andi Wilgosh, Chantal Larocque, and the eventual game winner from Addie Miles. Scoring for Alberta were Andrea Boras and Mia Mucci.

"It was unreal. The passes and everything were on the entire time and everything just seemed to click together," said Miles amide a crowd of family and friends celebrating outside of the Bisons room. "The dressing is unreal. Everyone is so pumped and really excited. It's just the fact that we beat Alberta."

This was the first regular season matchup between the two conference rivals. Last year, Alberta won the season series 5-1 (0-2 in playoffs) with Manitoba's lone win coming at home November 3. The Pandas went on to claim their second straight gold medal in the CIS Championships while the Bisons captured the bronze.

Wilgosh's goal got Manitoba on the board first and gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 15:53 of the opening period. The Bisons had just killed off a roughing penalty that saw the Pandas swarming and creating all kinds of pressure in the Manitoba end. After a getting a fresh set of legs on the ice, the Herd cycled the puck, with it finally coming to Wilgosh on the left point. Several Pandas tried down to block the shot, but it got through beating Alberta netminder, Dana Vinge on the short blocker side.

The Bisons added to their lead early in the second period when a scramble in front of the Pandas net allowed captain, Leanne Kisil to get a shot off right at the top of the crease. Vinge managed to stop a piece of it, but Larocque skated in from behind the crowd and poked in the loose puck as it lay behind Vinge. Larocuque's second goal of the season came at 2:33 of the middle frame.

Then after a series of Manitoba penalties, Alberta was able to climb back into the game and even the score with two powerplay goals. First at 14:13, Boras' shot from the right point made it through the screen in front of Bison netminder Stacey Corfield, hitting the far post and going in. Three minutes later, Mucci tipped a Miranda Miller shot from the slot, up and over the glove hand of Corfield. That tied the score at two, with 2:37 remaining in the second period.

Manitoba managed to regain the lead, in what would prove to be the game-winner, when Miles netted her fifth goal of the season. Taking a pass from Kisil, she cut to the front of the net, just getting a shot off as Vinge came out to poke-check her. The puck went into the top corner at the same time as Miles tumbled to ice after colliding with Vinge, giving the Bisons the 3-2 lead, 3:38 into the last period.

In net for the Bisons, Corfield made 20-saves for her seventh victory of the season. Vinge turned aside 20 as well in the loss for the Pandas.

Manitoba and Alberta 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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