The University of Regina men's hockey team earned its first win of the 2018-19 season on Friday night with a 3-1 win over the hometown Manitoba Bisons.

Zach McPhee, Arthur Miller and Corey Kosloski scored for Regina, as the Cougars improve to 1-3-1. Brett Brooks replied with a third-period goal for the Bisons.

Dawson MacAuley was stellar in net, making 36 saves for his third career win. Byron Spriggs made 32 saves at the opposite end of the rink.

McPhee opened the scoring midway through the second period, scoring a shorthanded marker just seconds after Frei was sent off for hooking. Corwin Stevely set up McPhee's first of the year as the Cougars took a 1-0 lead.

Miller scored what would be the game winner five minutes later, beating Spriggs with a high shot off assists from Frei and Zak Zborosky. Kosloski's marker came unassisted 1:52 into the third period, as the fifth-year forward intercepted a pass right in front and shovelled it by Spriggs.

Brooks broke MacAuley's shutout bid a few minutes later, converting a rebound for his second of the year from Mackenzie Dwyer and Nick Zajac. MacAuley and the Cougar defence buckled down for the rest of the night, holding the Bisons from getting any closer.

The Cougars and Bisons (2-3-0) will face off again on Saturday afternoon, with puck drop scheduled for 2 p.m. local time.