REGINA, Sask. - The University of Regina women's hockey team came out on top 3-2 after a hard-fought game against the Manitoba Bisons at The Co-operators Centre on Saturday, October 10 afternoon.

Kylie Gavelin, Emma Waldenberger and Nikki Watters-Matthes scored, with Watters-Matthes potting the game-winner for the Cougars. Kayleigh Wiens and Karissa Kirkup replied for the visiting Bisons.

The first period provided back-and-forth offensive chances for both teams, with the Cougars peppering Amanda Schubert with 16 shots and the Bisons replying with 15 of their own. The two goaltenders stood their ground, but it didn't stop the explosive offenses from getting on the board.

The flurry of goals started with the Bisons getting on the board at the 3:51 mark of the first period. The marker came on the Bisons powerplay following a Krista Metz roughing call. The Bisons won a faceoff in the Regina end and worked the puck behind the net. Alanna Sharman, who had a hat trick in the Bisons 3-1 win on Friday, circled back and forth behind Toni Ross and centred the puck from below the goal line to Kirkup. The third-year forward out of Virdin, Man. one-timed a quick shot over the shoulder of Ross to put the Bisons up 1-0.

It took Regina less than three minutes to respond, as the Cougars found themselves with a 5-on-3 advantage following penalties to Manitoba's Cassandra Taylor and Erica Rieder. The Cougars failed to muster many quality chances with the two-man advantage, but right as Taylor came out of the box the Cougars would strike. Emma Waldenberger sent a pass to Watters-Matthes at the point. The defender sent a shot towards the net with Taylor right behind her, and Gavelin knocked the puck out of the air. The Cougars' leading scorer from last season collected the puck in the slot and slid a low shot under the pad of Schubert, who was out of position from trying to stop the point shot.

The Bisons would take the lead back with 12:17 remaining in the period and hang on to the advantage through the remainder of the frame. The play began with Alexandra Anderson attempting to clear the puck out of the Bisons end. The puck was briefly held in by a Cougar defender, but Taylor batted it past the defender and went away on a 2-on-1 break with Wiens. Taylor elected to shoot, firing a wrist shot towards Ross. Ross made the initial save but the rebound bounced right to Wiens who potted it to put the Bisons up.

The first ten minutes of the second period belonged completely to the Bisons, as the visitors controlled possession of the puck in the Regina end.

"We knew we were starting to panic in the second period, we were forcing plays and it wasn't working for us," Watters-Matthes said after the game. "Everyone knew that we needed to stay calm and keep moving our feet. It's important for us to play freely and react to the game instead of planning out what we're going to do with the puck."

Momentum shifted at the 11:39 mark of the period, off the stick of Waldenberger. The Cougars had the puck in the Bisons zone, and Brooklyn Moskowy chipped it to Jaycee Magwood from along the boards. The rookie turned and put a shot on net from the top of the circle but Waldenberger got a chunk of it, deflecting it past Schubert for her sixth goal of the young Canada West season and the only score of the second period.

The Bisons had three glorious chances within about 30 seconds of each other midway through the third period. It started as Alana Serhan went in on a partial breakaway from the wing, but she whistled a shot just wide of Ross's blocker side. The Bisons kept the pressure on, with Jayden Skoleski ripping a shot that beat Ross but deflected off the post. On the same attack the Bisons had another strong chance on net, but Ross made two impressive toe saves in a row. 

Those saves by Ross proved to be huge, as the Cougars lit the lamp less than a minute after seeming to be on their heels. Tamara McVannel sent the puck from the point down low to Magwood, who tried to centre it in front to Waldenberger. The puck slipped past Waldenberger but right onto the stick of Watters-Matthes. The Regina product walked in and ripped a wrist shot past the glove of Schubert, who was heavily screened.

The Cougars had an opportunity to put the game away, as a pair of Bisons penalties left the Cougars with over 30 seconds of 5-on-3. The Bisons penalty kill stood tall and kept the Cougars at bay, killing off both penalties. 

Sharman had a great look at the tying goal with 2:34 left to play, but Ross made a nice save on Sharman's attempt from the slot to preserve the Cougar lead. Just after the chance from Sharman, Serhan was whistled for tripping with just 2:21 to play. The powerplay prevented the Bisons from gaining any traction on the attack, and the Cougars escaped with a 3-2 win.

Ross made 31 saves in the win, improving to 3-0 on the season. Schubert stopped 29 shots in the loss.

The Cougars will hit the road next weekend, heading to Edmonton for a pair of games against the Alberta Pandas. Manitoba host Mount Royal Cougars on Oct. 16-17 weekend.