Box Score

Kylie Gavelin and Stephanie Sawchuk both scored on the power play and Jennifer Schmidt turned aside 36 shots as the Regina Cougars shut out the Manitoba Bisons 2-0 on Friday afternoon in Canada West women's hockey action.

With the win the Cougars take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three quarterfinal playoff series.

Rookie goaltender Amanda Schubert made 27 saves in net for the Bisons.

The Bisons out shot Regina 21-5 in the opening frame but it was the Cougars who struck first. Gavelin found the back of the net 34 seconds into the Cougars' first power play opportunity of the game at 13:01. Sawchuk and Brooklyn Moskowy drew assists on what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

Manitoba got a chance to tie the game in the final minute of the period when Kyleigh Palmer dropped a pass for Maggie Litchfield-Medd in the slot. Her wrist shot beat Schmidt but rang off the inside post and the Cougars remained in front by one.

After a scoreless second period, the Bisons took a penalty after being caught with six skaters on the ice early in the third. In the opening moments of the power play, Sawchuk snapped a rebound past Schubert to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

From there the Cougars turned it over to Schmidt, who made some great saves down the stretch to keep Regina in control. She made an impressive sequence of saves on a Manitoba power play midway through the frame to help ice the victory for Regina.

The Cougars have a chance to advance to the Canada West semi-finals with a win in Game 2 of the series tomorrow afternoon. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m. at the Wayne Fleming Arena.

Edited by Brady Knight, University of Regina Sports Information