WINNIPEG — Manitoba scored the equalizer in the third to tie the game but eventually fell in a shootout to the Saskatchewan Huskies 2-1 on Saturday afternoon. At times it looked like all Manitoba, but goals were hard to come by, and the visitors survived the onslaught to pick up two points in the shootout.
The first period began with no clear team dominating. Both sides struggled to comfortably establish the offensive zone and shots on net were hard to come by and rarely uncontested.
The Huskies used an early effectiveness in the faceoff circle to help open the scoring midway through the period. At 12:53, a faceoff win by Peppi Virtanen to the left of
Cypress Classen resulted in a quick shot towards the net. A scramble ensued and the puck bounced loose on a rebound right by Virtanen on the right aside of the crease and she swatted it into the back of the net to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
For the next few minutes, the Herd were able to set up well in the attacking zone.
Aimee Patrick created an unforced error from a Saskatchewan defender low in the zone, passed it over to
Shayna Bannister who couldn't raise it over the body of Colby Wilson. The Bisons created more scrum opportunities but couldn't get the puck cleanly on net in those chances.
The score at the end of the first period sat 1-0 for the visitors while the Bisons held a 12-5 lead in shots. The Bisons also went 0/1 on the powerplay.
The Bisons found themselves in penalty trouble early in the second with infractions to
Julia Bird and
Julia Bilous before the first two minutes of the period leaving the Bisons down two bodies. Despite the tall task, Classen came up with multiple saves on the kill and the defence did their part to get clears when they had to, killing the five on three.
"That's huge. The players that were on that kill to start us off and took the majority of those minutes, the players that embrace that role, it's big in generating momentum and I think it did," said Bisons head coach Jordan Colliton.
At 14:04, Paris Oleksyn nearly added to their lead with a wicked wrister off a left side rush. The puck grazed the top of Klassen's glove and rang off the crossbar to keep the score at 1-0.
The Bisons got another powerplay opportunity at 11:42 with Kara Mitenko in the box for hooking.
Dana Goertzen wired a slapshot from the left faceoff dot, but it only hit a defender on the way. After the powerplay ended,
Norah Collins deflection from the left side of the crease got just enough of Wilson's arm to force the puck wide.
Despite their pressure in the second the score remained 1-0 with the shots sitting at 22-12 for the Herd.
Manitoba finally capitalized on their first shot of the third period. With Kendra Zuchotzki in the box for delay of game, a defender on the Huskies lost an edge in the zone to give the Bisons a short opening to attack. Goertzen grabbed the puck low, walked out from the left corner looking shot before sliding a slick feed over to Bird who hammered it home to tie the game 1-1 at 17:14.
The game really opened after the tying goal with numerous scoring chances generated both ways. Collins at 12:46 found herself all alone down the middle of the shot but fired wide. At 8:25 Oleksyn broke through the Herd's defence on a breakaway, but Classen made the left pad save.
"I think both teams are really good in transition and utilizing the hybrid. I thought it became a bit of a track meet but for the most part I thought we did a good job limiting them to a couple chances from a few mistakes but for the most part we were able to generate off it and tie the game," said Colliton on the third period opening up offensively.
With 6:55 to go in the third the Bisons had a three on one rush after a failed defensive pinch in the neutral zone. Wilson stopped Patrick's shot and
Sara Harbus' rebound sailed wide of the net.
With 60 minutes deciding nothing, the game went to overtime. The shot count after regulation sat at 37-20 for the Herd.
"This game I was like well here we go it's going to happen, got to make the most out of the game and enjoy it," said Wilson on her heavy workload and the game going into overtime.
Eight seconds into the extra frame Goertzen fed
Brenna Nicol cross crease for a one-time blast but Wilson handled it into the chest.
Patrick had a huge backcheck on a potential Sara Kendall breakaway at 3:20.
Sadie Keller's breakaway shot was stoned by Wilson.
With 1:30 left in the extra frame Bronwyn Boucher took a body checking penalty but the Herd couldn't convert on it.
The first round of the shootout saw Nicol backhand a shot wide and Zuchotzki fire it into the glove of Classen. In the second round, Collins' shot was blockered aside, but Virtanen snuck a deke five hole to give the Huskies the advantage.
Kelsey Huibers Datsyukian toe drag deke around Wilson tied the shootout, but Kendall came down and beat Klassen on the backhander to win it in a shootout for the Huskies.
The Bisons travel to UBC to take on the Thunderbirds next weekend.
