Box Score WINNIPEG -- The buzzer deserves a raise after a 15-goal game between the Manitoba Bisons and UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday afternoon at the RINK Training Centre. The two teams combined for 12 of their 15 goals in the first two periods, while six power play goals were scored. The T-Birds recorded four special teams markers, including the eventual game-winner in an 8-7 victory.
 
With the win, UBC improves to 3-1, while Manitoba falls to 0-2. 
 
Overall, Manitoba's top line of Devon Skoleski, Brett Davis and Colton Veloso combined for seven points, adding to their nine from yesterday. Additionally, creative blue-liner Chase Hartje (a forward until age 13) added a goal and four assists to improve his points total to eight on the season. The T-Birds were led by Cyle McNabb's hat-trick and Scott Atkinson's four points. 
 
"The score doesn't reflect it, but we were really good at times tonight for the most part of the game," said Bisons head coach Mike Sirant. "We were much better than we were yesterday. We talked about playing with more composure, supporting each other on passes and we were really good at that. I thought we played with much more composure and making plays tonight when we had the puck instead of just throwing it away, so I thought that was a huge improvement for us."
 
After allowing three early goals in the first yesterday, it was the Bisons who took control to start Saturday's game. The first goal came from Skoleski on a one-timer at 3:29, as he finished off a slick pass from Davis near the half wall. 
 
Skoleski later dished a pass from behind the net to forward Tony Apetagon, who made no mistake from in close on the power play at 8:14. 
 
A one-timer from UBC forward Ethan McIndoe put the visitors on the board at 12:31, assisted by forward Scott Atkinson and defenceman Johnny Lambos. With room, UBC forward Cyle McNabb tied up the game two minutes later, assisted by forwards Liam Kindree and Sam Huo.
 
A solid cross-ice feed from forward Hayden Ostir to defenceman Chase Hartje gave the Bisons the advantage with just over three and a half minutes left in the first, but UBC didn't hold back with another goal from McNabb. Later, a slashing penalty to the Bisons led to a powerplay goal from Atkinson to give UBC the advantage going into the second, finishing off a wild seven-goal period. 
 
A wide-open net and slick one-timer gave McNabb his third point of the night only two minutes into the middle period, at which time Manitoba swapped netminders and put in back up Simon Harkness. Shortly after, he made an excellent save on a breakaway on UBC defenceman Ryan Pouliot to keep his team in the game. 
 
Midway through the period, Sasha Mutala found Atkinson to increase UBC's lead to three, however Manitoba pushed back. 
 
A quick shot from the slot by Apetagon shortened the T-Birds' lead to two, and Hartje got his third point of the night with an assist on a powerplay one-timer by Davis to narrow the lead to one in the final three minutes of the second. 
 
With less than two to go in the middle period, a great setup led to a goal by Bisons forward Noah Basarab to tie the game.
 
The third period wasn't any quieter with an early powerplay goal from Jake Lee off a snap shot from a face-off. It was Lee's third goal of the weekend. 
 
Manitoba pulled their netminder in the final minutes, allowing UBC to seal the deal with a shot from behind their blueline from Chris Douglas. A final goal from Davis on a tipped shot from Hartje with 3.7 seconds left wasn't enough time to take it into overtime. 
 
"We looked really good out there for most of this game, making great plays with the puck," said Sirant. "We scored some really good goals. You'd think you'd win a hockey game you score seven goals but to let in eight, well, honestly, it's tough to win a game you let in eight goals."