WINNIPEG – A Skyler Bruce goal with one second to play in regulation was over-shadowed by the visiting Saskatchewan Huskies, who held on in a shootout to defeat the Manitoba Bisons 3-2. The win improved their record to 6-3, while the Herd fell to 2-5.
 
Despite the result, Manitoba secured a point for the fourth time in their last five games, and also picked up a point for the first time against Saskatchewan in two years.
 
This was the Huskies' second win in a shootout this season, after a 16-attempt marathon against Calgary earlier on the year.
 
Huskies goalie Roddy Ross made pad saves on Bruce and Stotts in the shootout, with Manitoba captain Jonny Hooker scoring on a low attempt that went just inside the left post. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan scored on two of three attempts.
 
Hooker's tally leveled the shootout at one, but Vince Loschiavo won it for his side one attempt later, flipping the puck just above Bisons goalie Braden Holt's left shoulder.
 
It capped a great evening for Loschiavo, who finished with a goal and an assist, and a game-high seven shots.
 
Saskatchewan now has 14 points on the season, sitting in second in the Canada West's East Division, while Manitoba surged ahead of MacEwan for the third and final playoff spot.
 
Both teams have six points, but Manitoba took three of four against GMU last weekend, and are just five points shy of their total from all of last year.
 
"[Saskatchewan] has a really good hockey team. They're deep. It's a conversation going in, every time we match up against them. For us it's about being above our check, and making sure we don't give them too much," said Bisons head coach Gordon Burnett.
 
"They created chances. [Holt] kept us in the game and gave us a chance. To get a point against a team like that is big for us, and our confidence. We'll make sure that the guys know that. It's all about tomorrow afternoon now."
 
Both teams were buzzing in the first period. A frenzied pace resulted in scoring chances on both ends, with no penalties called on either side in a scoreless opening 20.
 
Huskies forward Raphael Pelletier had a great chance to open the scoring three minutes in, as he found space just outside the crease and got his stick on a cross-ice pass, but his shot went just wide.
 
Holt was instrumental in keeping the game dead locked, making 12 saves in the first, and 38 in the game. He gobbled up numerous shots from in tight, keeping solid positioning.
 
Manitoba's best chance came with three minutes to go, as defenceman Ben Bonni sped past three Huskies, getting an accurate shot up high near the left faceoff dot. Up to the task was Ross, who scooped up the biscuit.
 
The game was blown open offensively in period two, with both sides scoring twice.
 
Manitoba got on the board first, with Stotts blasting home a dump pass from Eric Alarie six minutes in. It was Stotts' team-leading ninth point of the season, aided by a stolen puck by Hayden Ostir to get the play started.
 
Saskatchewan tied the game just over two minutes later. Trevor Wong intercepted the puck in the attacking zone, and dished it to Loschiavo, who went forehand-backhand with space to beat Holt.
 
Once again Manitoba had an answer. Bruce possessed the puck at his own blue line, using his speed to gain entry into the attacking zone. Moments later, he secured the puck again, finding Hooker on a beautiful no-look pass that the latter buried from in tight to give Manitoba a 2-1 lead.
 
It was Hooker's fourth goal of the season, tying him for the team lead with his top-line teammate Bruce. It was also Hooker's ninth point, as he kept level with Stotts for first overall on the team.
 
The Huskies had multiple chances to answer. Two shots from in close were stymied by Holt, but the visitors eventually broke through.
 
With two minutes to go in the period, Carter Stebbings blasted a one-time home from in close, capitalizing on a long shift for the Herd. It was Stebbings' second goal of the year, facilitated by a pass from behind the net by Loschiavo.
 
Saskatchewan took their first lead of the game with six minutes to play in the third, netting the only power play marker on the day.
 
Forward Ben Tkachuk tipped in a shot from the slot by defenceman Rhett Rhinehart as the visitors made good on their third opportunity with the extra skater.
 
Cue Skyler Bruce, who got the fans to their feet with an incredible goal with just one second to play to send the game to overtime.
 
Defenceman Parker Malchuk got the puck on net, and Bruce got behind the defence, tipping in the accurate pass from the right half wall, and just past the left post.
 
"It was a good point to get for the guys," noted Bruce.
 
"[Malchuk] made a great pass, and Sask got a little disconnected with two seconds left. Mals threw it on net, and I was fortunate enough to be alone in front of the net."
 
With only three teams qualifying for the playoffs in each division in Canada West [new alignment for this year to increase provincial rivalries], every point counts.
 
"It's a point we needed. That's exactly what I was thinking," said Burnett of Bruce's incredible goal.
 
"It's just so important, these points against Saskatoon. To lose in overtime against Grant MacEwan, that was also a point that was huge. The way the standings work now, those points are huge. It's going to be like that all year, with the new alignment of the standings. That's exactly what I was thinking."
 
The goal was Bruce's team-leading fifth of the year, and it's the third time on the season that he's tallied multiple points in a game.
 
"I think it's huge that we're progressing in a positive direction," said Bruce.
 
"With every game, I think you guys can see it too, how hard we work. Gord preaches that we can't play a track meet game. We have to play in their zone, low. That's what we're best at, using our bodies."
 
Three-on-three overtime for five minutes solved nothing, sending the game to a shootout.
 
Saskatchewan scored on two of their three attempts, while Hooker scored the lone goal for Manitoba, as the visitors took the extra point.
 
Both teams will play again tomorrow at 1 pm CT.