Box Score WINNIPEG – Bisons head coach Jordan Colliton got her first career U SPORTS win in memorable fashion on Friday night, as the Herd beat Regina 4-3 in a nine-round shootout on home ice to open their regular season. Alyssa Ramuson scored the winner, with a snap shot that beat Amy Swayze by the near post.
 
Manitoba improved to 1-0 on the year, while Regina fell to 1-2.  
 
"I don't get that win without them buying into what we're trying to do. Kudos to our players on the effort and compete that they had. We were down a couple of times and came back and found a way," Colliton said.
 
"Their mentality with this game tonight, against a tough opponent, I'm super proud of them."
 
The Bisons overcame numerous one-goal deficits in the game, including in the third, before tying up the contest on a Kelsey Huibers goal with 12 minutes to go, sending it to OT. The extra session solved nothing, as the two teams went to a shootout.
 
The Cougars scored on their first attempt on a forehand-backhand marker from Cassidy Peters, but that was all they could muster, as Bisons goalie Emily Shippam stood on her head, stopping the next eight Cougars attempts.
 
Huibers, who tied the game in the third, went five-hole in round two, and Rasmuson ended things in round nine.
 
"[Shippam] did a great job," added Colliton. "With the shootout, they scored on their first shot, we didn't. For her to keep us in it, and keep composed mentally, that's tough. Kudos to her."
 
There was just one penalty in the opening 20 in a fast-paced period with plenty of chances. Shippam and Swayze both made thrilling saves in the opening ten minutes to keep the score level.
 
Regina's Jordyn Blais and Manitoba's Dana Goertzen both had quality chances on the doorstep, but Shippam and Swayze flashed the pads.
 
Blais had two chances near the crease, but Shippam got her right leg out to keep the biscuit out. Meanwhile, Goertzen – who led all players with three shots in the first – went end-to-end right after, showing her strength by keeping possession in the attacking zone with just one hand, before getting denied by the left pad by Swayze from in close.
 
The Cougars went to the break with momentum, scoring the lone goal of the period in the final two minutes.
 
Pippy Pritchard stole the puck away near the right wing in Manitoba's end, delivering an excellent pass across the ice to Makena Kushniruk, who went top corner on a wrist shot for her first goal of the season.
 
Four goals were scored within the first five minutes of period two in a non-stop offensive showcase.
 
Less than two minutes in, the Herd opened the scoring. They stole the puck away in their own zone and wound up with a rare four-on-one opportunity. Sara Harbus took the initial shot from the right wing, and Addison Vines blasted in the rebound for her first career U SPORTS goal.
 
The celebration was short lived. Just under two minutes later, Cougars captain Shaylee Scraba stole the puck in Manitoba's zone, zipped by two players, and tapped the puck low blocker for her first goal of the year.
 
Manitoba had the answer. Less than 30 seconds later, NCAA transfer Rasmuson dispossessed a Cougar behind the visitor's net, finding Goertzen, who placed a snap shot perfectly, just under the cross bar on her fifth shot of the game.
 
Just prior to the five-minute mark, the Cougars re-took the lead. Callie Hilhorst's shot from the blue line was stopped, but Tessa Stewart was right there to put away the rebound for her second goal of the year.
 
Manitoba tied the game with 12:42 to go, as Huibers delivered the goal of the game, surging past two Cougars on a partial breakaway, tapping the puck into the near post to send the contest to OT.
 
From there, it was a marathon of a shootout, which the Herd took in nine rounds.
 
"We were setting the table for the next. If you have a really good shift, that builds momentum for the next line," Colliton noted on the no quit attitude all game.
 
"It's just their commitment to each other and to the team. That's why they were able to [tie the game and win it]."
 
The two teams play again tomorrow at 5 pm CT.