EDMONTON - Rookie Panda Abby Soyko scored twice in the third period, clinching a 12th straight victory for the Pandas thanks to a 4-1 win over the Manitoba Bisons on Friday night. 

Not only does the win extend the Pandas streak, it also clinches the No. 2 seed in Canada West for Alberta, who now owns a 21-5-1 conference record. The loss for Manitoba drops the Bisons to 11-15-1 this season, and eliminates them from playoff contention. 

Fresh off a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2023 Winter FISU Games, Madison Willan also scored for the Pandas, along with team captain Izzy Lajoie. Halle Oswald stopped 17 of the 18 shots she faced, picking up her 18th win of the season, giving her sole possession of third for wins in a single season in Pandas history. 

Kimberly Davidson stopped 14 of the 18 shots in the loss for Manitoba, with Camille Enns scoring the lone Bison goal. 

While the shots were tied 18 each on Friday, the game never felt in question for the U SPORTS No. 4 ranked Pandas. Madison Willan opened the scoring late in the first, beating Davidson in tight off a feed from Payton Laumbach. 

Lajoie doubled the Pandas lead late in the second, scoring her second of the season shorthanded for Alberta, who outshot Manitoba 12-10 through 40 minutes. 

Enns cut into the Pandas lead with her third of the season early in the third, beating Oswald with a rocket from the right circle. 

Soyko, however, would secure the victory with two goals in the third, the first coming just six minutes after the Enns tally. 

The two sqauds will conclude the regular season tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. at Clare Drake Arena.