The Manitoba Bisons fought to end the weekend on a high at Wayne Fleming arena Saturday afternoon, but Alberta was just too good. Despite the 8-2 loss, the team left the ice with applause from the fans as head coach Mike Sirant coached in his last regular season home game as head coach, and five players are graduating, including three forwards: Devon Skoleski, Dylan Thiessen, and Geordie Keane, and two defencemen: Liam Schioler and Mitch Dyck.
 
"It's been the best four years of my life," said Thiessen. "I went down and played in the states and then Mike took a chance on me last minute, not many people really know that. He didn't have to take that chance. The team was set, and he gave me a shot. I couldn't be more thankful. It's made me the person I am today, to be here. This program just makes people into who they are, makes them into men, and role models in the community. I can't thank Mike enough; I can't thank the whole Bisons Sports enough – for everything they do in the background. It's been the greatest four years of my life."
 
Early pressure in the Bisons zone led to a boost of confidence for the Golden Bears. Alberta forward Daneel Lategan received the puck behind the Bisons net, and Bisons defenceman Ryan Gottfriend lost position. Lategan opted for the wraparound goal, surprising netminder Simon Harkness and sending it bottom corner to go up 1-0.
 
Alberta was zooming around the ice with intention, yelling loudly to each other about pucks and positioning.
 
The Golden Bears put the pressure on in the Bisons end, grinding it out. On a nice pass right in front from forward Matt Fonteyne, forward Jakin Smallwood fired it home five-hole to give them the two-goal lead.
 
Back in the other end, Bisons forward and captain Geordie Keane had a great chance but like he said last night, the bounce wasn't there, and it went just wide.
 
The Bisons started to cook up some pressure in the offensive end, but the puck was turned over when they were caught on a change. Alberta walked in but Bisons defenceman Chase Hartje stepped in to block it. Bisons forward Tony Apetagon took it into the zone and won the battle. Defenceman Mitch Dyck took the slapshot, and forward Mike King tipped it low into the net, putting the Bisons on the board.
 
Later, on an aggressive penalty kill by Alberta, it was the Bisons persistence that put them on top. Forward Johnny Hooker made the pass to defenceman Parker Malchuk who had a little bit of space in front. Malchuk went low blocker side on Kruger to tie it up going into the second.
 
The tie score didn't last long. About five minutes in, Alberta defenceman Dylan Plouffe took a wrist shot that went over the blocker of Harkness who couldn't see with the traffic in front.
 
The Bisons responded with good pressure in the offensive zone and getting pucks to the net. Golden Bears netminder Ethan Kruger was forced to make some tough saves, flashing the leather on Bisons forward Devon Skoleski who was on the doorstep.
 
The pressure from the Bisons seemed like a good omen but then things took a turn for the worse.
 
On a foot race between Bisons Malchuk and Golden Bears forward Nolan Volcan, Harkness came out of his net to play the puck. With the pressure from Volcan on him, he misplayed the puck and sent it into the net instead of into a safe spot, giving the Golden Bears their two-goal lead back.
 
The Bisons pushed to make something happen, but Apetagon was pushed off the puck, sending Golden Bears forward Ryan Hughes coast-to-coast. He ripped the shot off the faceoff circle and over the shoulder of Harkness to make it 5-2.
 
In a desperate attempt to keep the Golden Bears at bay, Bisons defenceman Ryan Gottfried sacrificed his body to block two big shots. But it wasn't enough. Alberta forward Josh Prokop let the wrist shot from the ringette line go and, like a dart, it went straight to the top corner to go 6-2 on a power play goal.
 
Ross Hawryluk took his place in the net for Harkness for the third, making an unbelievable dive stop to shut the door early in.
 
Alberta scored on the powerplay on a pass from Fonteyne to Plouffe. At the top of the point, Plouffe took the one timer for this third point of the weekend, followed by a goal from defenceman Joel Sexsmith who closed out the game.
 
"We had ups and downs this season, but our willingness to come to the rink and play for each other and give it everything – even when it's 8-2 in our last game – everybody's going out, still hitting, still blocking shots, taking hits," said Thiessen. "That's kind of the Bison way that we've been taught. And although it's over, I think we can be proud of the season we had."