Box Score
CALGARY – Four third period goals from the Mount Royal University Cougars men's hockey team guided them to an 8-2 win,  throttling against the University of Manitoba Bisons on Friday night at Flames Community Arenas.

The Cougars had struggled mightily on Fridays coming into tonight's game, having recorded just a single win in weekend openers so far this season. 

Keen to start the game off hot, Mount Royal came out flying and tested Manitoba netminder Braden Holt right away. 

Cougars' leading scorer Josh Tarzwell extended his point streak to six games and his goal streak to three early in the first period. Tarzwell wacked home a rebound from Tanner Komzak's point shot for his 11th of the season.

Mount Royal was playing aggressively throughout the first period, nearly scoring twice on shorthanded breakways but putting it wide both times. 

Late in the first, the Cougars doubled their lead on a man-advantage of their own. Powerplay quarterback  Clay Hanus' point shot was stopped but Connor Bouchard was able to corral the rebound and tucks it in with the backhand on. The goal gives Bouchard 47 in his career at MRU, which puts him just four back of the program record of 51.

In the second period the Cougars got their second powerplay marker. Teague  Patton centered the puck for a streaking Remy Aquilon, who shot it through Holt's five hole.

Less than three minutes later Justin Lies made it 4-0, ripping a perfect wrist shot that blazed past the glove of Holt. 

Determined to reintroduce themselves back into the contest, the Bisons got on the board partway through the second. Grady Lane made an excellent move to get towards the net, opening the five hole and sliding it in.

With less than 30 seconds left in the period, Manitoba cut the lead to two. A broken play on an odd man rush led the puck to slide over to a wide open stay-at-home-defenceman Evan Toth who wired a shot into the top corner. The marker would be Toth's first goal of the season and second of his career.

After the brief lapse in the second, Mount Royal slammed their foot on the gas in the final frame.

Justin Lies somehow outdid his previous goal, scoring in the top right corner and popping the water bottle on top of the net. After struggling to score early in the year, the former Flin Flon Bomber now has five goals in his last five games.

A few minutes later, Michael Ladyman scored a low glove-side for his first of the year. Ladyman collected a goal and assist on Friday, earning first star of the game. He voiced his relief to get his first of the year.

"It took a little longer than I expected to get the first one but it felt good to get that monkey off my back," said Ladyman.

Backup netminder Matthew Kieper came into the game in relief of Holt after Ladyman's goal but didn't have any time to settle in. Rookie winger Bowden Singleton tipped home Alex Izyk's shot-pass to blow it wide open for MRU.

Blake Stevenson got his second goal in as many games, curling around the net and elevating the puck over a sprawled out Kieper to make it eight goals for the Cougars.

Mount Royal netminder Shane Farkas made his season debut after being out with an injury to start the campaign. The former U SPORTS Goaltender of the Year was excellent between the pipes, making 17 saves. 

"[Farkas] is just so calm, cool, and collected back there," said Ladyman, who has played in front of Farkas for four years. "You just know he's going to make the right puck plays back there."

The Bisons will look for a bounceback effort in Saturday's rematch after the lopsided contest. The final game in 2025 is set for a 4 p.m. MST puck drop at FCA.