REGINA, Sask. - The University of Regina men's hockey team dropped the front end of a Canada West two-game series against the Manitoba Bisons, falling 6-2 at The Co-operators Centre on Thursday, November 26 night.

Jordan DePape had two goals and two assists, while Jesse Paradis, Justin Augert, Brett Stovin and Warren Callis also scored for Manitoba. Ian McNulty and Troy Hunter lit the lamp for the Cougars, who fall to 4-11-0 with the loss.

Manitoba wasted no time taking an early lead, going to the powerplay after Brody Luhning took a tripping penalty at the 1:33 mark. It only took the Bisons 17 seconds to get on the board following the penalty call, as DePape played give-and-go with Adam Henry and ripped a slap shot through traffic. The low shot beat Andy Desautels to the blocker side and Manitoba took a 1-0 lead on DePape's eighth of the season.

Regina answered midway through the opening period, after a Bisons turnover in their own end. Sanfred King scooped up the loose puck and tapped it forward to McNulty who wired a wrist shot over the glove of Justin Paulic to even it up. 

The Cougars woes on the penalty kill continued in the second period, as DePape netted his second of the game off a nice passing play by Manitoba. Austin Bourhis was sent to the box for head contact, and the Bisons capitalized. The puck went from Henry to Channing Bresciani, and right onto the stick of DePape who re-directed it past Desautels.

The home team tied it up again just a couple minutes later, as Mark Schneider's clearing attempt bounced over the stick of a Bison defender. Hunter had a step on the second Manitoba defenceman and took the puck in well clear of any resistance. The fifth-year forward elected to shoot and beat Paulic with a well-placed wrist shot to the blocker side to tie the game 2-2.

The Bisons would add a couple more before the end of the period to take a 4-2 lead to the final frame. Paradis scored at the 9:26 mark of the period, as a long pass from Henry skipped over the stick of John Sonntag. DePape collected it and fed it over to Paradis, who ripped a slapshot past the glove of Desautels. Augert added to the Bisons' lead shortly after, as he picked off a Cougar pass and put a shot towards the net. Desautels made the first save but was out of position after kicking his pad out to stop the first shot. Augert followed up the play and whacked in the rebound to give Manitoba a two-goal lead.

Manitoba continued to pad their lead in the third period, as Stovin scored just 14 seconds in to the final 20 minutes. DePape was right in the middle of the action like he had been all night, sending a pass in front to Stovin who was all alone in front of Desautels. The rookie goaltender made the first save but Stovin had plenty of time to collect the rebound and pot it in the empty net, ending the night for Desautels.

Manitoba's offence didn't seem to mind who was in net for the Cougars, adding its sixth goal of the contest just over two minutes after Dawson MacAuley came on in relief. Some nice movement of the puck found Callis on a backdoor cut towards the net. Callis was all by himself and made no mistake, beating MacAuley on the first shot directed his way.

The Herd outshot Regina 37-26 on the night. Desautels made 25 saves while MacAuley stopped six shots off the bench. Paulic was solid, making 24 saves on 26 shots.

The Cougars and Bisons will wrap up the series Friday, November 27 night at 7 p.m. CT in their last conference regular season game before the December break.