The University of Manitoba Bisons men's hockey team were defeated by the Mount Royal University Cougars 5-1 Friday night at Flames Community Arena.
 
The Cougars were dominant right from the start. They held possession and the majority of the offensive zone play.
 
Bisons' goaltender Simon Harkness made a huge save on Cougars' forward Jared Power to keep the game scoreless early.
 
Unfortunately for Harkness and the Bisons, the scoreless game would be broken midway through the first. MRU rookie and former Regina Pat Koby Morrisseau deflected a point shot from Connor Blake and fooled Harkness to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
 
Despite significantly outshooting Manitoba and driving the play, the Cougars only had one goal to show for it in the first.
 
Into the second period, Mount Royal let the foot off the gas and Manitoba capitalized. Jonny Hooker sniped a one-timer past MRU netminder Jackson Berry to tie the game at one. Hooker's tally came after a few minutes of sloppy defensive play from the Cougars.
 
The tie game gave rejuvenation to the MRU, and they regained the lead with a timely goal from the top line. Riley Sawchuk picked the puck up in the corner and wheeled to the top of the circle and turned to fire his patent quick wrister. Sawchuk's goal was his 15^th of the year, which ties his total from 2021-22.
 
The Cougars added to their lead early in the third. Sawchuk found a wide-open Nolan Yaremko on the outside flank. Yaremko moved to his backhand and roofed it past Harkness to make it 3-1.
 
A few minutes later, Connor Bouchard made an incredible seeing-eye pass to Ethan Regnier. Regnier, positioned right on the doorstep of the net, one-timed it quickly past Harkness for a 4-1 Cougar lead. Mount Royal completely regained control of the game.
 
Jared Power made it 5-1 with a goal of the year candidate. Power dangled around the Bisons' defence with a backhand toe-drag and then slotted the puck in the top corner off after his nifty play.
 
The Cougars took the win 5-1. The Bisons will look for revenge tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.