WINNIPEG – Canada West women's hockey returned to Winnipeg on Friday, Oct. 15 for the first time since February 2020 as the Manitoba Bisons welcomed the Calgary Dinos to Wayne Fleming Arena to begin the 2021-22 season.

With 15:52 on the clock in the third period, Bisons second-year forward Molly Kunnas drove to the net with a Calgary defender all over her but still managed to beat goaltender Gabriella Durante. The goal proved to be the game-winner as Manitoba defeated the Dinos by a final score of 6-4. 

Calgary captain Rachel Paul got the scoring started in the game with a short breakaway goal in the opening period, her first of two short-handed goals on the night.

"My strength is my speed," said Paul. "Anytime I can chip the puck and go that's what I like to do. It just turned out that I was able to read the play and chip the puck. I didn't think either goal was going to go in, but both were able to trickle past their goalie."

Despite steady offensive zone pressure, Manitoba found themselves down 2-1 at the end of the opening frame. Paul cashed in on a short-handed breakaway 3:35 into the game to open the scoring. Just past the midway mark of the first, the Bisons' Kate Gregoire answered back with shot that beat Calgary's Durante high over the glove to even the game up at one goal apiece. However, the visitors restored their lead with a goal from fourth-year forward Alli Borrow with just over a minute remaining in the first period. 

Shortly after Calgary forward Holly Reuther rang her shot off the crossbar at the beginning of the second period, Manitoba tied the game at 2-2 with a goal off the stick of first-year Ashley Keller. The Dinos had the opportunity to restore their lead with an extended 5-on-3 power play but it was after the hosts killed off both penalties that Calgary took the lead back. The scoring leader from the Dinos' last season in 2019-20, Elizabeth Lang, put a wrap-around past Manitoba goalie Meagan Relf. Before the period came to an end, the Bisons took their first lead of the game with two quick tallies from Kylie Lesuk and Sam Sicharuk. After a wild second period, the teams hit the locker room with the home side leading 4-3. 

Kunnas added the eventual game-winning goal at the 4:08 mark of the third period to give the Bisons a 5-3 lead. Paul added her second short-handed goal of the game for the Dinos before Keller scored her second on an empty net to seal it for the hosts. 

Relf recorded 24 saves in her first Canada West start while her Calgary counterpart Durante finished with 26 saves of her own.

Both teams will be back at Wayne Fleming area tomorrow at 1 p.m. MT to conclude the two-game weekend series.