Game On Magazine 2017 Nov Game On low res | Page 134

THE YEAR
OF THE
BISON
BY CARTER BROOKS
Photos by Jeff Miller
2018 IS THE YEAR OF THE BISON . Forget what
the Chinese Zodiac calendar tells you – as it
is obviously missing a very important feature
animal. The only beast-like creatures that you
should be worried about in this 2017-18 hockey
season are hungry bison.
Coming off of a 2016-17 season that saw the
University of Manitoba women’s hockey team
win 19 of its 28 regular season games before
bowing out in the semi-finals, the 2017-18
team vows to be even stronger.
Beginning the year on the heels of a stellar
pre-season, in which the Herd won seven of
eight games, the Bisons came flying out of
the gate in their season opener on the road
1 3 4 | G AM E ON | N OVEM BER 2017
in B.C. In hammering out five goals on 26
shots in the opening forty minutes of play,
the fiery Manitobans set the tone early.
Strong performances by fourth-year forwards,
Courtlyn Oswald, Lauryn Keen and Venla Hovi
sealed the deal for the Bisons.
“I really think this is our year to win it, and
everyone in the room feels the same way,” said
Oswald. “We are a pretty veteran group this
year, and we know how much it hurts to lose
in the finals or the semis. We remember that
feeling, and don’t want to feel it again. Our
leaders have a lot of experience, and we have a
strong group of rookies coming in – it’s time to
really build upon the last few seasons.”