Box Score Lethbridge – The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns were firing on all cylinders, Sunday night, earning a 5-2 win against the visiting University of Manitoba Bisons.

Lethbridge goals were scored by Megan Bailey, Kirsten Reeves, Chelsea Minor, Breanna Frasca and Erica Williams. Answering for the Bisons was Rachele Bosc and Maggie Litchfield-Medd.

In net for the Pronghorns was Crystal Patterson, who saved 22 of 24 of the shots she faced while Leiette Klassen got the start for the Bisons, turning aside 19 of 23.

Full Stats: http://www.leaguestat.com/canadawest/womens/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1320

Chelsea Minor opened the scoring for the home team. With a great follow-up effort, she managed to find the loose puck amid a flurry of bodies and snuck it past Klassen at 6:53.

The Bisons notched their first of the night midway through the second frame. Speeding hard into the offensive zone, Nellie Minshull delivered a picture-perfect tape to tape pass to Litchfield-Medd who snapped a quick one over Patterson’s left shoulder to tie the game at ones.

Lethbridge replied quickly. Frasca, netting her second goal in as many games, from Glenda Edie and Jenae Culp, went top shelf glove side to regain the lead.

Bison’s Kyleigh Palmer came very close to knotting things up a few minutes later but her attempt to put one past Patterson was stonewalled as the Lethbridge net-minder kicked the puck wide, preserving her team’s lead.

The ‘Horns would add another in the final minute of play as Courtney Minor found Reeves alone out in front, who quickly unloaded a rocket that would soar past an unsuspecting Klassen.

In a strange series of events, Lethbridge would score their fourth goal in a most unlikely fashion. A delayed Lethbridge penalty saw the Bisons pull Klassen to gain an extra attacker but a miscommunication in the neutral zone resulted in a errant pass that would bounce off the side boards and trickle its way down the ice, through the crease, and into the empty net.

Manitoba responded swiftly, however, and despite being denied her first attempt, fourth-year forward Rachele Bosc’s persistence in front of the crease earned her a short-handed marker as she managed to sneak the puck through Patterson’s legs.

The ‘Horns, too, would answer back with a short-handed marker of their own. A missed pass at centre ice created a break-away opportunity for Bailey, who went hard to the net, faked left, and skillfully pulled the puck in around Klassen, for her fifth of the season, at 9:38.

With this win, Lethbridge improves to 4-4-2, retaining their 5^th position in the Canada West standings while Manitoba falls to 3-6-1 and remain in 7^th position.

The Pronghorns have a bye next week and return to action the following weekend when they face off against Mount Royal University in a two game home and home series. The Bisons, too, have a weekend off before travelling west to face the UBC Thunderbirds.