Box Score Box Score

The University of Regina's men's hockey team was defeated 5-0 by the University of Manitoba on Saturday night in Game 2 of their Canada West quarterfinal series at the Max Bell Arena in Winnipeg.

Tyler Dittmer had a four-goal game for the Bisons, who sweep the series and advance to the Canada West semifinals next weekend against Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Ian Duval collected three assists for Manitoba in the win, while goalie Jesse Deckert registered a 24-save shutout and added an assist on Dittmer's fourth goal.

Dittmer scored the lone goal of the opening period after taking a pass from Duval on a 2-on-1 and tapping it in six minutes into the game to give the Bisons a lead they would hold onto for the rest of the game. Dittmer scored again less than a minute into the second, and Tyler Feakes extended the lead to 3-0 four minutes later.

Dittmer's hat trick goal was likely the backbreaker, as he scored on the power play just over a minute into the third to make it a four-goal lead for the Bisons. Dittmer added one more for good measure, scoring midway through the third after a fortuitous bounce on a dump-in.

Cougar goalie Andrew Hayes faced 42 Manitoba shots in the loss, saving 37 of them.

The Cougars made huge strides during the 2012-13 campaign under first-year head coach Todd Johnson, collecting 29 points in conference play after finishing with 13 points just a year ago. The team qualified for the postseason this year for the first time since 2009, and expects to return everyone to next season's roster with the exception of fifth-year defenceman Russ Nielsen and graduating fourth-year forward Ryan Sawka.