WINNIPEG – Dana Goertzen's first brace of the season gave the Manitoba Bisons a 5-3 win over the visiting Calgary Dinos on Friday night at Wayne Fleming Arena. 

Goertzen is having a stellar sophomore season already scoring five goals through the first half of 2023-24, compared to two goals in her rookie year.

The other star for the Bisons on the night was goaltender Meagan Relf, who stopped 27 of 30 shots - with more than half of those coming in the second period alone.

It didn't take long for Manitoba to open thinds up in this one. Sarah Dennehy netted her fourth goal of the season in the first five minutes to give the Bisons the early lead.

Less than a minute later, Molly Kunnas slotted home her first goal of 2023, doubling the Herd's lead. 

Calgary pulled one back with five minutes to go in the first period. Courtney Kollman popped in her fourth goal of the season on a nice wrist shot to cut the deficit in half. 

The Dinos poured it on offensively to start the second period with 10 shots in the first 10 minutes. They were finally rewarded for their efforts with a goal when Elizabeth Lang threaded the puck into the back of the mesh. 

It didn't take long for Manitoba to respond when Jena Barscello splashed through enemy lines to lift her team on top once again. It was her first goal of the year. 

Lightning struck twice moments later when the Bisons regained their two-goal lead thanks to a phenomenal one-two play that saw Goertzen finish a brilliant pass from Aimee Patrick.

The Bisons later found their first power play goal after Goertzen's shot took a friendly bounce of off the crossbar and the back of Dinos goaltender Amelia Awad for her second of the evening.

Bisons goaltender Megan Relf stood on her head in the second making 16 saves on 17 shots after only facing six in the first. 

The Bisons defended the power play well and held Calgary off the board for most of the third period.

Calgary pulled within two late after Lang poked in her second of the game, but it wasn't enough to overcome the margin.

The Bisons and Dinos square off again Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. MT. 

-UC-