Winners of three of their first four games in the second half, and six of their last eight games overall, the Bisons welcome MacEwan to town for a key weekend series. Game times are 7 pm on Friday and 2 pm on Saturday. This Friday's contest is also the third annual Stick Up for Pride Tape game. Click here for more info on the initiative, and click here for tickets. 

Manitoba enters Friday with 19 points, in a playoff position in Canada West's East Division. This is the first and only meeting of the season between the Bisons and Griffins (currently in fourth in the West Division with ten points). The Herd took three of four games against GMU last year, with four different active roster members tallying multi-point showings overall (Aimee Patrick, Brenna Nicol, Louise Fergusson, Norah Collins). 

The hosts have been red hot offensively since the start of the winter term, scoring four goals in all four games they've played thus far. During that span of time, ten different players have found the back of the net, including rookie forwards Shayna Bannister and Sophia Heidinger, who tallied their first career U SPORTS goals in a 4-0 win against Saskatchewan on January 9th, and a 4-1 win against Trinity Western on January 17th, respectively. The pair became the 14th and 15th different players to record a goal this season for the Bisons. 

Defensively, Manitoba has given up more than a goal just once since January 9th, operating with extreme efficiency on both ends of the ice. That included last Saturday's 4-1 win over Trinity Western where four different players scored a goal, and six different players got on the score sheet overall. 

"Puck management was a key," said Bisons head coach Jordan Colliton following Saturday's game. 
 
"We were able to make their D turn, get in behind them, get on the forecheck and use our speed to make contact. On the other side of it too, we call it re-loading to get it on the defensive side, and you're not waiting for things to happen. You're the one who's making it happen. It's nice to see that transition from the first half to now."

Senior forward Aimee Patrick recorded two points in both games against TWU, and has five points in her last three games, using her strength and positioning to win puck battles and create chances for herself and her teammates. She leads Manitoba in goals (eight) and points (16). With one point the rest of the way, Patrick would become just the 12th player in program history to tally 60 as a Bison. 

Elsewhere, true freshman forward Sara Harbus is coming off a career-high three assists against TWU on Saturday, and she has five points in her last four games. Her nine total points on the season are tied for the Canada West lead. In net, Emily Shippam has 68 saves in her last three games, with a .917 save percentage overall. 

Offensively for MacEwan, Sydney Jack leads the way with seven points, while rookie Megan Dolynchuk is the leading scorer with four goals. Joie Simon, who scored two goals in GMU's most recent win against Manitoba, 2-0 last January, has been out of the lineup since November 8th.