The University of Manitoba Bisons pulled away from the University of Regina with three third-period goals as the visitors took a 5-1 win on Friday night that spoiled the Cougars' Canada West home opener at The Co-operators Centre.

The two teams were tied at 1-1 at the first intermission, but Shaq Merasty scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal with five minutes to go in the middle stanza and Brett Stovin, Justin Augert, and Quintin Lisoway notched the trio of third-period markers for the Bisons which put the game away for Manitoba. 

Byron Spriggs was brilliant in the win for Manitoba, stopping 37 of Regina's 38 shots. An unassisted goal by Regina's Zach McPhee with four minutes left in the first was the only time the Cougars were able to solve Spriggs.

Augert also had a goal in the first, opening the scoring with help from Remi Laurencelle just past the midway mark of the period. Augert ended up with a three-point night after also assisting on Merasty's goal, while Laurencelle also assisted on Augert's goal in the third. Augert, Laurencelle, Merasty, and defenceman Sean Christensen all finished with a plus-3 rating in the win. Manitoba improves to 1-2-0 with the win after opening the conference slate last weekend with a pair of home losses to Mount Royal.

Neither team was able to score with the man advantage as Manitoba was 0-for-4 on the power play and the Cougars were scoreless on their three opportunities, though McPhee's goal came just seconds after Austin Bourhis served a two-minute slashing minor.

Andy Desautels made 25 saves for the Cougars as he made his third start in as many Canada West games for the Cougars. 

Like Manitoba, the Cougars are now 1-2-0 in conference play after Friday's game. The two teams will finish off the two-game weekend series on Saturday afternoon (3:00) at The Co-operators Centre.