CALGARY - The Mount Royal Cougars hosted their first game of the new year at the Flames Community Arena against the University of Manitoba Bisons. 

The two teams were mirrored as the Cougars were looking to break their losing streak of two games while the Bisons were hoping to increase their winning streak of two. 

Both Mount Royal goalies, Katilyn Ross and Cassie Shokar began the year as leaders in the Canada West league for their high save percentages (0.960 and 0.952 respectively). 

The Bisons held the advantage for the first period, leading in shots 5-3. Cougars' Ross held sturdy in her net, maintaining a tough defensive against their plays. 

The tide turned in favour of the Cougars for the second as they made some swift moves to attempt a shot past Bisons' goalie Amanda Schubert. Tensions were bubbling over as the period was tripped up by some penalties, but neither team found the advantage to make a goal by the buzzer.

The Cougars were able to finally break the stalemate just before the nine minute mark in the third. Kate Hufnagel was battling for the puck behind the Bisons' net before snaking around front to pass to Andrea Sanderson who swiftly shot through Schubert's defenses. 

Manitoba made several strong attempts to take back the game in the final half of the third. They pulled Schubert after a quick timeout, leaving the net open. Hufnagel slipped past the defenders, taking a shot from nearly half ice to skitter into the empty net. The Bisons pushed back with a final effort, but were unable to make a final mark on the evening. 

The Cougars came away with their first victory of the year, 2-0. 

The teams will face off against each other once more on Saturday, January 4th, at 2 p.m. MST. It will be broadcasted live on CanadaWest.tv, presented by Co-op.