CALGARY – One night after a 4-2 win by the Dinos, the University of Manitoba Bisons came back to win the rematch on Saturday against the University of Calgary Dinos women's hockey team 1-0, splitting the weekend at Father David Bauer Arena.

"This is a good game for us to grow off of," said interim head coach Josh Gosling. "Manitoba did a good job pressing pucks and working hard."

The win puts the Bisons more firmly in a playoff position in the Canada West standings, moving them to 7-14-0 for the season. The Dinos remain fifth in the standings with 20 points, while dropping to 9-13-2. 

The Bisons showed an aggressive effort in the first period, outshooting the Dinos 11-4, but the score remained 0-0 at the end of the first.

The second period saw an increase in Dinos shots on net, but the Bisons were the first to capitalize on a scoring opportunity. With thirty seconds left in the first, Kylie Lesuk was able to work the puck free from a scrum in front of the net and score in the top corner with a backhand shot past Gabriella Durante's catcher, bringing the score to 1-0 for the Bisons at the end of the second.

The Dinos fought to get back in the game in the third, but despite a six-on-five faceoff for the last two minutes of the game, were unable to tie it up and take the Bisons to overtime.

"This is a good opportunity for us to learn how to find that next gear and improve our work ethic," Gosling added. "A lot of the roster needs to understand that we need to find another gear as we get into playoff hockey."

Saturday's game was the final one inside Father David Bauer Arena this season, celebrating their four seniors of Brooke Dennett, Courtney Kollman, Elizabeth Lang and Dana Wood before the contest.

The Bisons head back home to Winnipeg to face the team currently closest to them in the chase for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Trinity Western Spartans. 

The Dinos look to get ready for the annual Crowchild Classic against the Mount Royal Cougars on Wednesday, January 24 at the Saddledome. Get your tickets at GoDinos.com.

-UC-