WINNIPEG – Manitoba Bisons captain Johnny Hooker's two power play goals were not enough against the MacEwan Griffins, falling 5-4 on Friday night.
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The Griffins erupted to a 5-0 lead through 35 minutes, paced by forward Liam Ryan's two goals. Manitoba scored four times in the final 25 minutes, including Hooker's team-leading 12^th and 13^th goals, but it was too little too late for a complete comeback.
 
After lots of dump-and-chase plays to begin the game, Griffins found the net halfway through the first. Ethan Sundar linked up with forward Marc Pasemko to put the puck past Bisons netminder, Kolby Thornton.
 
MacEwan scored their second of the night after an unfortunate block off a Manitoba defenseman landed on Ryan's stick, who was quick to capitalize.
 
The Griffins put a third in the back of the Bison's net to close out the first period. Up on a four on three power play, a quick switch to the left side of the ice left time and space for defenceman Sean Comrie to fire the puck home.
 
The action continued midway through the second period, as MacEwan scored their fourth of the night.
 
A good feed by Vincent Scott found Caden Cabana, who was all alone on the right side of the ice and fired the puck past Thornton.
 
MacEwan found their second of the period just seconds later, after a misplaced pass left the Bisons scrambling in front of their net. A good combination between Griffins forwards allowed Ryan to put the puck away for his second of the night.
 
Desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bisons were looking to put themselves on the scoresheet. After being rewarded with a power play late in the second, they finally got the look they were striving for.
 
The Bisons patiently played the puck around the MacEwan defence, and an excellent across-crease pass by Skyler Bruce set up Hooker for his 11th power play goal of the season.
 
Hooker's goal was a turning point, as the Bisons began to push the Griffins back into their zone.
 
Manitoba continued from where they left off at the end of the second and began to chip away at MacEwan's lead, with their power play shining throughout the third period.
 
Hooker found himself alone in front of the net, and puck battle ensued between the two teams. The Bisons come out on top as Skyler Bruce was able to push the puck over the line for his second point of the night.
 
Manitoba built on their momentum as they scored their 20th power play goal of the season, and who else but Johnny Hooker to cut the Griffin's lead down to two. Hooker took his time to approach the point, and found space to slot the puck in the top right corner of the net.
 
Hooker's two power play goals give him 12 on the season. He's just two shy of tying Paul Deniset for the school record, set in 2005-06.
 
Less than a minute after Hooker's goal, the Bisons reduced the Griffins lead to one as forward Jackson Arpin scored his first of the game. Arpin attacked the side of the net, and through a pile of bodies, ended up shoving the puck past the line to make it a gritty final few minutes for the two sides.
 
Manitoba pressured and outpaced MacEwan in the closing minutes, but after two unfortunate penalty calls against the Bisons left them down two players the final minutes, the Griffins came out on top, eliminating Manitoba from a playoff spot.
 
The Bisons return tomorrow against the Griffins at 2:00 pm CST.