EDMONTON — They may be one of the new kids on the block in Canada West hockey, but the MacEwan Griffins continued to look the part on Saturday. Playing strong defensive hockey, the home team beat the Manitoba Bisons 2-1, earning a weekend split with one of the top teams in the conference.

Madison Cole was the lone goal-scorer for Manitoba, who fall to 9-5-2-0 on the year with the loss. MacEwan improves to 6-8-0-0 and move into a tie with the Regina Cougars for the sixth and final playoff spot in Canada West.

Meagan Relf made 22 saves in the loss for the Herd.

"We knew we fell out yesterday and our goal was to come in and get a win," said Griffins goaltender Brianna Sank, who made 31 saves in the win.

Sank had to be at her best in the final minute when she gloved a dangerous tip off a point shot, shutting down the potential tying goal.

A scoreless draw for most of the contest, the Griffins finally broke the ice with nine minutes left to play when Sydney Hughson took a pass from Jayme Doyle in tight and roofed it past Bisons goaltender Meagan Relf.

Manitoba answered back with 6:21 left as a clearing pass bounced off a Griffins forward, allowing the puck to stay in the MacEwan zone where it was scooped up by Madison Cole and sifted five-hole on Sank.

But the Griffins were undeterred, scoring again just 1:37 later to put the game away. On a delayed penalty call, Kyrelle Skoye sent a cross-seam pass to Rebecca Thiessen, who shot it off Relf's pad and Hailey Maurice buried the rebound.

Both teams were solid on the penalty kill – MacEwan killed off six and Manitoba five – but it was the Griffins' ability to bounce back and get a clutch goal late that was the difference.

Next up for the Griffins is a road trip to Saskatchewan on Feb. 4-5, while Manitoba returns home to host Trinity Western on Jan. 28-29.