The University of Regina women's hockey team fell 3-1 to the No. 3-ranked Manitoba Bisons on Friday night. The Cougars are now 7-9-2-3 and sit eight points out of a home playoff game but have a five-point cushion on Lethbridge for the final Canada West playoff berth.

Alanna Sharman, Megan Neduzak and Sheridan Oswald scored for the Bisons in the win. Jaycee Magwood replied for the Cougars.

Lauren Taraschuk stopped 10 Cougar shots for her Canada West-leading 12th win of the season. Morgan Baker made 24 saves in the loss.

Sharman scored her third of the season at the 13:57 mark of the first period, going top shelf to beat Baker. Jordyn Zacharias and Chloe Snaith picked up assists on the goal.

Neduzak added to the lead with two minutes left in the opening frame, firing a rocket of a slapshot into the Cougar goal.

After a scoreless second period, the Bisons came out flying in the third period. Oswald scored a powerplay goal 19 seconds into the frame after Emma Coulter was whistled for boarding with just a second left in the second period.

Regina finally solved Taraschuk just 24 seconds later, as Magwood notched her seventh of the season on the powerplay. Emma Waldenberger fired a shot on net that Magwood deflected past Taraschuk to cut the lead to two.

Regina couldn't create many quality chances in the dying minutes, as the Bisons defence locked down and held the Cougars to four shots in the final frame.

The Cougars (7-9-2-3) and Bisons (13-4-2-2) will face off again on Saturday afternoon, with a 4 p.m. start at the Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg.