(Winnipeg, MB) - Two goals just 28 seconds apart by Julia Bird and Rachel Gottfried helped push the Manitoba Bisons to victory over the MacEwan Griffins. Three Bisons players found themselves scoring their first goals of the 2024-25 season while Julia Bilous also recorded her first U SPORTS point. The Bisons improved to 2-2-1 while the Griffins fell to 1-3-1.

"It's been fun to see their confidence grow and playing together as a whole," said head coach Jordy Zacharias.

The Griffins pounced early in the game scoring just 1:09 in when Ali Macaulay sent a slider that didn't raise off the ice. Emily Shippam made the pad stop on the shot from Macaulay but the rebound to was tapped in by Kori Paterson.

Manitoba didn't waste time as they went on the attack shortly after giving up a goal.

Ali Staples sent a quick wrist shot from the left-side faceoff dot which Julia Bilous picked up and passed to Julia Bird for Bilous' first U SPORTS point. This pass was created off a rebound opportunity in front of the net which Bilous snatched up and quickly snapped off to Bird to even the game at one goal a piece.

Seconds later, Manitoba kept swarming MacEwan and completely found a momentum shift in their favour. The Herd kept up the pressure in the offensive zone and a loose puck found its way to the tape of Rachel Gottfried who sent a rocket just above the left shoulder of the MacEwan netminder.

MacEwan was given a powerplay chance at the midway point of the second period, but couldn't capitalize. The Herd's successful penalty kill led to an immediate offensive zone rush.

Camryn Gillis found herself at the end of a shift and dumped the puck in behind MacEwan's net for a change. Norah Collins, the Bisons' leading scorer for the season, picked up the puck as it sprung in front of MacEwan's net and deked the goaltender to put the Herd up 3-1.

Aimee Patrick found her way onto the score sheet as well, as she shot the puck from the point, and it was redirected sharply into the right corner of MacEwan's defensive end. Sadie Keller found the puck after the puck bounced weirdly off the boards to her stick for her to score the fourth unanswered goal by the Bisons.

A highly competitive third period wound up scoreless. Both goalies stopped multiple rushes in front of Manitoba and MacEwan's nets as time winded down. Kylie Lesuk and Norah Colllins crashed the net late in the third period but were turned aside by MacEwan's netminder Johnson.

Bisons interim head coach Jordyn Zacharias was pleased with her team's effort, and has seen Manitoba's "confidence grow" with every game, while "playing together as a whole."

Manitoba and MacEwan will rematch at 3:00 p.m. CST on Saturday at the Wayne Fleming Arena.