WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Fifth-year defenceman
Zack Whittaker (Victoria, B.C.) opened the scoring, but the Manitoba Bisons answered with four straight goals to defeat the Trinity Western Spartans 4-1 Friday night at Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg, Man. The loss drops the Spartans to 0-6-1 in Canada West play, while the Bisons improve to 5-2.
Fifth-year goaltender
Raphael Audet (Rimouski, Que.) made 37 saves for the Spartans, while second-year forward
Aiden Knutson (Red Deer, Alta.) assisted on Whittaker's goal.
Dawson Pasternak led Manitoba with a goal and an assist, while Skyler Bruce and Tanner Willick each had two assists. Braden Holt stopped 36 of 37 shots for the Bisons.
UP NEXT
The Spartans face Manitoba again Saturday, October 31, at Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg. Puck drop is scheduled for 1 p.m. CDT (11 a.m. PDT), with the game available on Canada West TV.
AS IT HAPPENED
Whittaker gave TWU a 1-0 lead at 3:19 of the first period, with Knutson earning the assist. Grady Lane tied the game on the power play at 10:34, with assists from Caden Zaplitny and Ben Bonni. Erik Pastro put Manitoba ahead at 16:09, converting with assists from Brandon Funk and Pasternak. The Bisons held a 13-11 edge in shots in the opening period.
Manitoba added two power-play goals in the second period. Lucas Brennan made it 3-1 at 7:06 before Pasternak extended the lead at 11:38. Willick and Bruce assisted on both goals. Audet made 13 saves as Manitoba outshot TWU 15-6 in the period.
The Spartans outshot Manitoba 20-13 in the third period, but Holt stopped all 20 attempts to preserve the 4-1 result. Audet also kept the Bisons off the scoreboard in the final frame.
NOTABLE
- Manitoba went 3-for-7 on the power play, while TWU finished 0-for-2.
- The Bisons outshot the Spartans 41-37.
- TWU is now 5-10 all-time overall against Manitoba, including a 5-10 record in Canada West regular season meetings. The Spartans are 4-3 in Winnipeg.
- Manitoba has won four straight meetings between the teams, dating back to January 11, 2025.
- Audet's 37 saves bring his Canada West career total to 1,639, second in TWU's Canada West record book behind Leon Sommer's 1,930. Friday was Audet's 47th conference appearance.
- Knutson now has six assists and eight points in seven games this season. His assist total extends his personal Canada West season high, after recording two assists in 28 games last season.
- Whittaker's third goal of the season establishes a new personal Canada West season high. He scored once in each of his previous two seasons with TWU.
- Whittaker led TWU with five shots, sharing the team lead with fourth-year forward Christian Lowe (Port Moody, B.C.).
- Audet finished with 11 saves in the first period and 13 in each of the final two periods.
- TWU generated 20 of its 37 shots in the third period.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 15 U SPORTS team championships and 35 Canada West team championships.
About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U SPORTS. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
-TW-
