WINNIPEG -- After a strong display from the Manitoba Bisons in the first two periods, the Saskatchewan Huskies rallied a third period comeback to send the game to OT. The Huskies won the game in the additional period after a Bison penalty gave them a man advantage, taking the contest 3-2.
"I liked the pace we played at," said Bisons Head Coach Gordon Burnett reflecting on the game. "I liked a lot of the things we did, but we just lost in a few areas."
The Bisons started off strong to begin the game, generating the first few shots of the period. After that it was a back and forth affair, as the Bisons and Huskies generated ten and seven shots on net respectively.
The Bisons were the first to find the back of the net. Just over halfway through the period, Forward Eric Alarie fired the puck up ice through the Saskatchewan defence onto the tape of rookie Lucas Brennan. Brennan, one-on-one with the Huskies goaltender, calmly slotted the puck five-hole to put Manitoba on the board.
This was Brennan's fifth goal of the season, which made him the fourth Bison to reach the number.
The Huskies upped the intensity to close the period, however Manitoba's netminder Braden Holt made some good saves to keep the Bisons ahead.
The fast-paced intensity from the first carried over to the next period, as Manitoba was up 2-0 on their first shot.
Veteran Cody Behun entered the Huskies' zone from the right flank of the ice, who then fired a quick shot on net that caught the Saskatchewan goaltender off-guard to double the Bisons lead.
The Huskies were determined to fire back however. A breakaway chance for Saskatchewan forward Carter Stebbings forced Bisons defenceman Evan Toth to take a penalty, which gave the Huskies the opportunity to put themselves on the board through a penalty shot.
Stebbings would take the shot himself but lost control of the puck in front of the net, which allowed the Bisons to escape.
The third period saw a turn of the tides as the Huskies took control over the game.
Saskatchewan put themselves on the board less than one minute into the third as a quick move by Conner Roulette slotted the puck back to teammate Landon Kosior, who fired it home.
With one goal separating Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the two teams were determined to find the back of the net before the other.
With less than four minutes left in the period, the Huskies put the game level. Despite Holt having made excellent quick-reaction saves, Saskatchewan forward Chase Bertholet beat the Bisons netminder on the third attempt.
The Huskies looked to finish the game in regulation, but some excellent saves from Holt carried the Bisons into OT.
Less than two minutes into the additional period, the Huskies walked off the ice with the win.
After the Bisons took an unfortunate penalty, Saskatchewan generated chance after chance with the additional player. The Huskies put the game away when a slapshot from Landon Kosior took a bounce off Holt and forward Liam Keeler put away the leftovers.
You can catch the Bisons tomorrow for the rematch at 5 p.m. CT.
