Kyra Anderson's powerplay marker would serve as the game winner in Game 1 of the Canada West Playoffs at Wayne Fleming Arena as Trinity Western took a 1-0 series lead. A strong effort by the Bisons only resulted in one goal as Kate Fawcett saved 36 shots in 3-1 win.

The game started out slow as the teams began feeling each other out. The Herd would pressure the offensive zone early but fail to register a shot on target till 16:01 left in the first.

The Bisons would find their penalty kill tested twice in the opening frame. At 14:31, Ali Staples would go to the box for tripping but the Bisons on the ensuing faceoff would coral the puck and largely minimize any threats of Trinity Western's powerplay.

A strong penalty kill would bring a strong offensive burst to the Herd as they'd find themselves with two perfect slot opportunities. The first from Aimee Patrick would be turned aside with the right pad of

Kate Fawcett. Brook Dorash of Trinity Western also made a huge block off Louise Fergusson in the slot at 10:25.

The Bisons offensive output would be unable to find the net as Fawcett would record nine saves in the opening marker.

The Spartans would open the scoring on their sixth shot in the dying seconds of the first period. Presleigh Giesbrecht with a far shot from the blue line would be blocked by a body in front only far Jordyn

Matthews and Chloe Reid to jump on the rebound past the right leg of Emily Shippam with only four seconds left in the period.

Matthews of the Spartans would give the Bisons an early powerplay opportunity to even the score as she'd be called for holding at 15:51 in the second period.

Norah Collins came within an inch of tying the game on said powerplay but hit iron over the shoulder of Fawcett.

The Herd would find a hole in the armour though. A rush chance up the right side of the ice, Hannah Bailey fired a hard shot on net that Fawcett couldn't cleanly handle and Sadie Keller was on top of it to tie the game for the Bisons.

"It was a bit of a biff by me, it kind of hit my glove and came out, I should've just collected it, but [Keller] was in the right spot at the right time, kudos to her." Fawcett said on the Bisons goal against her.

Fawcett and Shippam both faced their fair share of shorts in the middle frame with the Bisons outshooting Trinity Western 13-10.

Shippam closed out the period making two separate rush saves from Reilley Kellner and Chloe Reid at 2:53 and 1:32.

A late hit in the period from Ashley Breitkreuz sent the Bisons to the powerplay to start the third.

The third period would give both teams ample opportunities to add to the 1-1 tie. 

At 13:49 left in the third, the Bisons would find themselves down a body after Sadie Keller delivered a hard cross check in the offensive zone.

Trinity Western would punish them for it on the powerplay. An assuming point shot from Kara Yackel would by pushed aside by Shippam only for the puck to be greeted at the side of the net by Kyra

Anderson. Anderson buried the go-ahead goal to put Trinity Western back in the lead.

"We expect to take a few penalties here and there and we kind of say three or less or so is good, we have a good penalty kill and sometimes that's just the way the cards fall. You kind of hope you can be better tomorrow, but I don't know if that can totally make or break a game," said Jordy Zacharias on the various special teams' opportunities for both teams.

From 6:20 to the end of the game the Bisons pushed the pace and outshot Trinity Western in the third period 15-9 but were unable to solve Fawcett.

"I felt really good about [my game], I think, in the second period it was a little rough but I kind of gathered it together," said Fawcett when asked about her overall play

The Bisons best chance for the equalizer slid onto the stick of Dana Goertzen in the slot left all alone with 1:25 to go. Fawcett challenged the shot and made a glove save to deny the dangerous opportunity.

"I mean I think it's a little bit of an oh shit moment, but I can't have an oh shit moment with a minute left," added Fawcett describing the final scoring chance for the Herd.

Kara Yackel would seal the game as she potted the empty net goal with five seconds remaining to make it 3-1.

The Bisons rematch the Spartans in Wayne Fleming Arena tomorrow night for game 2 at 7 pm.