WINNIPEG – Lucas Fry's first career U SPORTS goal served as the game-winner on Saturday afternoon as the Manitoba Bisons earned a weekend split with MacEwan in a 6-3 finish.
 
Tied at three, Fry scored the first of three goals for the hosts in the final nine minutes en route to the win.
 
The Griffins opened the scoring in the first after an unfortunate misplay by the Bisons. The puck bounced past Braden Holt's stick resulting in a Griffins offencemen to pick it up and playing it to Kadyn Chabot, who fired it into the open net.
 
The Bisons were quick to respond however, and they get the opportunity on the power play.
 
Soon after drawing the penalty, forward Skyler Bruce would be the one to capitalize. A series of quick and smooth passing left Bruce open at the point, and he shot the puck over the right shoulder of MacEwan netminder Eric Ward.
 
The Griffins closed out the period on top, as the left side of the ice was wide open for Ethan Sundar. He threw the puck to the crease and teammate Carter Chorney tipped it home.
 
Manitoba began the second with some good zone time that worked out in their favour as Bruce scored his second on the day. Forward Michael King backhanded the puck into the path of Bruce, tying the game up two-all on a lethal wrist shot.
 
Bruce scored three goals over the course of the weekend series, a career high. His most recent goal was also his 11th, second on team, while his 25 points in 22 games are third amongst all rookies in Canada West..
 
Manitoba would find the lead through the power play once more. An excellent display of stickhandling by Dawson Pasternak got him past the Griffins defence, and he laid it off to captain Jonny Hooker for his 13th special teams goal of the season.
 
Hooker is now just one away from tying the school season record set by Paul Deniset in 2005-06, while his 15 total goals are the most in a season since Jordan DePape scored 19 goals ten years ago.
 
The Griffins found the back of the net before the period's end to make it all tied up going into the third.
 
A play down the right side left Holt with just enough time to make a save, but Marc Pasemko was quick to capitalize on the rebound.
 
The Bisons found their rhythm in the third, starting in the first minute.
 
A misplay early in the period by a Griffins defenceman gave Bruce the chance to score a third, but Ward would smother the chance.
 
After lots of zone time in the Griffins end, the Bisons earned the game winning goal through Fry.
 
Following a scrum in front of the net, the puck was sent back to Fry, giving him room to slot the biscuit home.
 
The Bisons increased their lead to two through points leader Riley Stotts, slap-shotting the puck past Ward from the blue line.
 
Hooker closed out the scoring on the night, as a deflected puck landed in front of his stick and he went bar down for his 15th of the season.
 
Looking forward to the Bisons road series against the Regina Cougars next week, Burnett's focus is on development.
 
"After the game, we talked about having a good week and then going to Regina and continuing to play the way we played tonight. It's just about continuing the process of development and developing our game and making proper plays."
 
The Bisons face off against the Cougars in Regina next Friday at 8:00 pm CST.