WINNIPEG – Captain Kylie Lesuk scored with 23 seconds left in the third period, and added the game-winner in the final minute of three-on-three overtime, pushing the Manitoba Bisons past the Saskatchewan Huskies 3-2 for a series split at Wayne Fleming Arena on Saturday.  
 
Manitoba's 11th win surged them ahead of Regina for second in Canada West's East Division, with 24 points. They travel to face MacEwan on the road next weekend, while Saskatchewan will play Alberta.
 
It's the third time this season that the Bisons have won a game in overtime, and the second time they've scored an equalizer with less than a minute to play.
 
Two of Manitoba's come-from-behind overtime wins have come against Saskatchewan, with an identical score on the road on November 1 against the Green Dogs.
 
Manitoba also came from behind to defeat Mount Royal 3-2 on November 16, with Lesuk providing the primary assist in OT, stealing the puck at the face-off dot and finding Dana Goertzen for the victory.
 
On Saturday, the role was reversed, as Goertzen, celebrating her birthday, dished a back-hand pass to Lesuk, who also went back-hand from in close to beat Colby Wilson to tie the game.
 
"The connection in the room between all the girls is unmatched this year from previous years," said Lesuk.
 
"Everyone has been doing their role and knows their job which has been helping. We can rely on each other. The no-quit attitude has come from the way we've been practicing our habits which has translated to games."
 
Manitoba had been the aggressors all game, showing exceptional puck control and vision in the offensive zone. Wilson kept her team in the contest with a career-high 48 saves (one night after stealing a win with a 35-save shutout), but the hockey gods shined on the hosts in the rematch.
 
Lesuk's shot deflected off of defender Brooklyn Stevely's stick (which fell into the crease) and in to tie the contest, leading to a dominant showing in the extra session from Manitoba, who finished with a season-high 50 shots on net (and 88 over two games).
 
"Everyone knows their role in the last five minutes," added Lesuk, who recorded the third multi-goal game of her career and now has four tallies on the season.
 
"We did a great job knowing what we needed to do. We had a goal of getting pucks on net. It happened for the best this time around. We knew [Wilson] has been hot. She had a great weekend. Obviously that goes to show with the shots that we had and the scores of the games. But we knew that eventually if we got the amount of shots that we did, it would have to bounce our way in the end. The goal was to just get as many shots as possible, and we were able to do that."
 
In three-on-three overtime, the Herd controlled possession, winning the game on an exceptional feed into the crease from leading scorer Aimee Patrick to Lesuk. The captain had rushed in on a line change, getting her stick on the biscuit with perfect timing for the win.
 
Patrick's assist was her 15th point of the year, a career high.
 
"I think this is the most proud I've been of our group this year," said interim head coach Jordy Zacharias.
 
"Obviously going in, last weekend we had a shootout loss [to Trinity Western]. They took the game really, really hard. Now it's coming down to you might play a good game, but you might still not win, so let's play a really great game and tidy up the areas that we need to. They were really hungry today and resilient. No one tried to beat off their own path."
 
"We've been talking about process over outcomes the whole season, especially going into the second half," she added.
 
"For them to stick to that process and chip away and chip away against an exceptional goaltender, we couldn't really ask for much more. We're happy that we came out on the right side this weekend."
 
The goal-scoring started early for the Bisons, as forward Camryn Gillis netted her second of the season from the blue line. The Bisons gave little time for the Huskies to set up, as Gillis shot the puck five-hole seconds after Manitoba won the biscuit off the draw.
 
Saskatchewan responded halfway through the period. Julianna Herman threw the puck on net and teammate Avery Gottselig deflected it in to level the score.
 
Manitoba found their groove once more in the closing minutes of the first, with sustained offensive pressure.
 
In the dying seconds, a loose puck in front of the Saskatchewan net resulted in a pile-up of Bisons determined to push the puck over the line, but Manitoba were unable to capitalize.
 
The hosts continued their puck possession early in the second period, hemming the Huskies in their end for almost two minutes.
 
Their best chance came when forward Sadie Keller put two shots on net, forcing Wilson to react just in time to push the puck away. It bounced to Gillis with much of the net open, but the puck careened just wide. 
 
Manitoba significantly outshot Saskatchewan in the second, 13-3. But Wilson shut the door every time, making big stops to keep it equal going into the third.
 
The action-filled third period started early, as the Huskies converted off a power play.
 
Mirroring their first goal, defenceman Brooklyn Stevely threw the puck on net and Bronwyn Boucher deflected it in, scoring on the visitor's first shot of the period.
 
It seemed as if the third period would go the way the third went the previous night, as Wilson made save after save.
 
But in the final minute, the Bisons emptied their net and headed into a timeout.
 
This proved fruitful as with 22 seconds left in the third, Lesuk netted the equalizer with the extra skater.
 
The goal was aided by Gillis' ability to hold the line, finding defenceman Rachel Gottfried, who then dished the puck to Goertzen near the half wall, and then to the captain.
 
Overtime was all Manitoba, who showed exceptional puck control.
 
Forward Sadie Keller and Patrick had multiple chances, flashing their strength with the puck on their stick, while defenceman Camille Enns also had a break-away opportunity, with Lesuk coming off the bench on a line change shortly after for the winner.
 
"Aimee has had an unreal season this year. Everything she's done goes to show. She's been great, it was a heads-up play and it came down to the battle she won against the boards," said Lesuk.
 
"We were able to get fresh legs out there which really helped, and she sent a beautiful pass to me. I give all the credit to her."