WINNIPEG — The Manitoba Bisons men's hockey team saw their Canada West playoffs hopes come to an end after falling to the Regina Cougars on Friday, Feb. 4 by a score of 4-0. Manitoba came into the two-game weekend series against Regina needing at least three points to keep their post-season hopes alive.

With the playoffs now out of the picture, Manitoba had three games remaining on their schedule before their regular season came to close. The Bisons welcomed Regina back to Wayne Fleming Arena on Saturday, Feb. 5 for the second of a two-game weekend series.

Bisons forwards Hayden Ostir and Geordie Keane scored three minutes apart in the second period to make it 3-2, pulling Manitoba back to within one goal after the visitors went up 3-0 in the first. However, the comeback was short-lived with Regina scoring two power play goals including Tyler Heidt's second of the game to make it 5-2 before the middle frame came to an end. Both teams added a goal in the third sealing a 6-3 victory for the Cougars.

"We have been working on our power play a lot lately so I am happy to see some go in for us," commented Heidt. "We had a good presence in front of the net today which is why I think a few of those went in."

Prior to puck drop, the Bisons celebrated the careers of Carter Doerksen, Tyler Anderson, Ryan Carlson and captain Keaton Jameson. Today's game marked the last home game for the four players who will graduate from the program at the end of this season.

"Not only are those guys great players on the ice but they are real character people," said Bisons head coach Mike Sirant. "They will not only be missed on the ice but what they bring to our program. They are true Bisons."

For the second night in a row the Cougars jumped on to a 3-0 lead in large part to their power play. First it was Regina defenseman Christian Riemer who gave his team the 1-0 lead at 8:06 of the first. The visitors followed that up with Heidt's first power play goal of the game before Turner Ripplinger scored to put his team up by three goals.

The Bisons got the goals from Ostir and Keane to pull them back to within one before the Cougars quickly restored their three-goal lead with two power play goals before the end of the middle frame.

Manitoba's Nathan Halvorsen scored his first of the season in the third period. The Cougars rounded out the scoring with an empty goal to make the final score 6-3.

Manitoba will conclude their season next weekend on the road against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies on Feb. 11-12.