Under the guidance of first-year head coach Jordan Colliton and her staff, the Bisons women's hockey team has been on an absolute heater, entering the Canada West playoffs with enormous momentum. They won their last five games of the regular season, including a sweep over Calgary last weekend to punch their ticket to the post-season, and overall in 2026, Manitoba went 9-1-2, earning 20 of a possible 24 points.

Offensively, the Herd's 71 goals led Canada West's East Division and were second overall, and they were also the least penalized team in the conference (180 total minutes). It's the first time in seven years that Manitoba has led the division in goals for, and the first time in nine that they've recorded the least amount of penalty minutes.

Additionally, 17 different players found the back of the net on the year, with 11 different Bisons either tying or setting career highs in points, goals or assists. Manitoba also took at least one point against every single conference opponent this season.

So, it's safe to say that the Bisons are prepared for what's to come when they travel to play Alberta in the conference quarterfinals, beginning this Friday at 8 pm CT (best of three series).

"Approaching playoffs as the team that we are, we are going to be a force to be reckoned with," said captain Dana Goertzen, who recorded a career-high 14 points and 93 shots this season.

"There's no excuses. If we're making a mistake, we're making it together. If we have something to celebrate, we're celebrating it together."
 

'We didn't veer from adversity'
Coming into the season, the potential was there for Manitoba. Eighteen players returned from last year's CanWest semi-final squad (15 of whom had played in at least 30 games), and an exceptional recruiting class supplemented that veteran talent.

But it takes time to build a new culture with new coaches. Manitoba endured bumps and bruises on their way to building an identity, losing 11 of their first 12 games.

"You go in with a new coach, eight rookies, we were starting from scratch, everyone was," admitted Goertzen.

"We were all part of a new team. We found our ground zero and we started building from there."

Colliton and Manitoba's talented core of assistant coaches (Lyndsey Janes, Rob Friesen, Ashlee Hodge-Hirschfield, Dave Cameron and Martin Gagnon) didn't rush the process.

With a "player led, but coach-driven" philosophy, they met the team where they were at, working on the little things, demonstrating trust and patience while cultivating a holistic environment.

"We're all people. I'm human just like anybody else. Through coaching I want to make an impact on individual players so that they can be the best version of themselves. I believe in your work ethic, your attitude and how you treat people," Colliton – a former captain of the NCAA's Maine Black Bears – said at the beginning of the season.

"Those three things are nonnegotiables with me. As long as you're bringing that to the table, you're going to have a good experience and your team is going to have a great year, and you're going to develop as a person through that."
 

Even when the score wasn't in their favour, the team kept believing in each other. As the Herd's team intro video states, Bisons don't run from the storm of adversity. They charge through it.

Slowly but surely, the results started to show.

On November 8, they took a point against No. 1 nationally ranked UBC on the road, and three weeks later, they came back from a goal down to hand No. 3 nationally ranked Mount Royal a 2-1 loss.

Manitoba lost in regulation just twice after that, setting the stage for one of the most impressive second half showings in program history.

"In all sports, it's really easy to get discouraged and lose confidence. We went on an 11-game losing streak, but never once did we steer away from what we had set out to do at the beginning of the season when we made our goals. After that 11-game losing streak we haven't lost two in a row since," said Goertzen.

"On that 11-game losing streak we got a point against UBC in their home rink, we hadn't done that since I've been here. MRU, they were ranked top three in U SPORTS. We took a point from them. We just kept building. Every point that we did happen to steal during that losing streak, it just went to how we are as a team. We didn't veer from adversity."
 

'We trust that each person is doing their job'
Manitoba opened the second half of the campaign on the road against Saskatchewan, and their eight-hour journey – unpleasant at times – offered parallels to how their season unfolded. When you endure, the reward is great.

Braving the challenges of a long bus trip, a well-rested Bisons squad out-scored the Huskies 8-1 in two contests, claiming the season series along the way. It paid off at year end, with the Green Dogs finishing just behind Manitoba for the final playoff spot.

Overall on the weekend, seven different Bisons scored and the visitors out-shot their opposition 65-31, dictating zone time throughout.

"Coming into this half, we had the best week of practice. Jordan gave us a month off. No one took that for granted. Everyone took the rest that they needed," said Goertzen.

"When we came back everyone was ready to work. We had the best weekend playing against Saskatchewan in Sask. That just goes to show that [the coaching staff] trusts us, and is here for us, so we need to be there for each other and them and go from there."

Philosophically, the core elements of Manitoba's game continued to shine.

Embodying a growth mindset, Colliton preached trust, puck management, and in turn, smart decision making which led to consistent zone time and less turnovers and penalties throughout 2026.

"When I came on, and I was very guilty of it, we were by far the most penalized team. I think that goes to show, that being a better team and being more connected and collected as a group, we don't need to take penalties. We trust that each person is doing their job," said Goertzen.

"We've learned how to do things the right way here. Jordan's first month here, all we did was stick checking and angling, so we're not taking penalties for doing the wrong things. We know how to control our sticks. We continuously do it in practice, just learning how to do it the right way. Even from Jordy [Zacharias] and Jon [Rempel], they started that stepping stone, but it's just way more evident with Jordan here."
 

All four lines bought in, leading to career years for the likes of Goertzen, assistant captain Julia Bird (the most games played of anyone on the roster, at 131), leading scorer Aimee Patrick, Norah Collins and many others.

Strong with the puck on her stick, Bird's 12 goals tied for second in Canada West and were the fifth-most in a season in school history. Meanwhile, Patrick's 25 points were third in Canada West and the eighth-most in a season in program history, and Collins' ten assists more than doubled her prior best, while her 20 points were the 12th-most in a season in school history.

The trio also set a new school standard, with each hitting double figures in goals. It's the first time ever that Manitoba's had three different players all record at least ten goals in a conference season.

But as it's been all year, the story for the Bisons has been balance. Goertzen's line mates Sophia Anderson (seven points), "one of the smartest players" Goertzen has ever played with, and Kelsey Huibers (four goals) who has "sick hands and one hell of a shot" also had career years, bringing out the best in each other's games.

Then, against Regina from February 6-7, it was Patrick's line with rookies Sara Harbus and Sophia Heidinger that shone in a weekend sweep.

The former – a Canada West Rookie of the Year candidate who tied for second amongst freshmen with 11 points – recorded two goals, while the latter had a career-high three assists, weeks after tallying her first career U SPORTS goal.
 

The weekend before that in a three-point weekend against Alberta, Collins, Bird, Sadie Keller, Louise Fergusson and Jessie Haner all potted goals, with Collins putting up a career-high six points in the two games.

"We have a pretty balanced lineup. Each group has their own stuff to do, and to know in their role," beamed Goertzen.

"Norah's got wheels and a sniper shot. But she has more assists than goals this year. Give her the puck, find a spot and she'll get it to you. We call Aimee's line Patty and The Pups, because she's with two rookies. Against Regina they were a big factor in why we won that game. That was a big two points for us. As rookies they're relentless."
 

Manitoba's regular season culminated in a sweep of Calgary at home last weekend. The game that ultimately got them to the playoffs last Friday was won in overtime, once again fitting for a team that's endured and overcome countless obstacles.

Playing in an extra session for the ninth time on the year, it was Goertzen that ended things, putting home a goal of the year candidate with a forehand-backhand deke for the 3-2 W.

Receiving the puck from Patrick, she sped past a Dinos forward and made no mistake on a move she'd worked on in the week leading up to the game. In jubilation, she threw her stick in the air, surrounded shorty after by her teammates.

"I did not mean to throw it. The stick flip was not a part of the celly at all, it just happened. I was more excited for the team, that we won, than I was that I scored. Going up against the boards and seeing the people cheering and how many people were there for us, I'd never seen our team that excited before."