WINNIPEG – The Manitoba Bisons poured 31 shots on net against the No. 2 nationally ranked Calgary Dinos on Saturday evening at The Flem, creating numerous chances five on five, but much like the night before, special teams proved to be the difference.
The Dinos scored three of their five goals on the power play, and the other two came short-handed in a 5-3 win to improve to 14-2. Manitoba fell to 4-7-1.
Calgary took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, scoring once on the power play and once short-handed. Hayden Pakkala netted his ninth goal of the season on a one-timer 11 minutes into play, and a minute later Carter Massier made it 2-0, scoring on a partial breakaway.
The Bisons peppered the Dinos with 12 shots in the second, battling back to tie the game on the strength of their special teams.
Luke Brenton blasted a one-timer home to make it 2-1 on a five-on-three just 1:41 into play, scoring the ninth power play goal of the year for the Herd.
Less than a minute later at the end of Calgary's second penalty, Brenton contributed again, finding fellow ECHL veteran
Blake Swetlikoff on a brilliant cross-ice feed which the latter put home with bodies in front. Brenton's two points put him at 11 on the season, which leads all Bisons.
The conference's leading power play unit had the answer. The Dinos scored twice with the man advantage just over two minutes apart, taking the lead for good with markers at 5:33 and 7:45.
Brendan Lee made it 3-2 on a tick-tack-toe passing play, one-timing a blast home from just inside the umbrella, and he found Carter Massier on a phenomenal pass right in front of the Herd's crease shortly after, which Massier put home for his fourth goal of the season.
"Every goal that was scored this weekend was in a special situation, whether it was power play, penalty kill or six on five," said Bisons head coach Gordon Burnett.
"When we played five on five it was really good hockey being played. I was really happy with how we played against a really good hockey team, No. 2 in the country, five on five. Special teams dominated the weekend. We have some work to do on our penalty kill. This week it will be a focus for sure, but when we played five on five, it was really good hockey being played."
The Bisons put 11 more shots on net in the third, creating a variety of quality chances with their speed and precision, but were unable to equal the contest.
Michael King and
Caden Zaplitny both had great looks from close range, but Carl Stankowski was up to the task in net.
Pakkala scored his second goal of the game on an empty net in the final three minutes, with Swetlikoff wrapping up the scoring for Manitoba in the final minute on a one-timer. The first-year Bison, along with fellow rookie Brenton have combined for 20 points this season, the third-most by any Canada West freshman duo.
Manitoba continues conference play next weekend, facing Regina on the road. Calgary will face Mount Royal.
