EDMONTON – Two goals and an assist from third-year forward Matt Fontyene was more than enough to vault the Golden Bears over the Manitoba Bisons 6-2 on Saturday night.
 
It was an exorcism of recent results, as the #3 U SPORTS ranked Bears (7-2-1) tightened up defensively after the previous night's 7-6 OT heartbreaker.
 
Rookie goalie Nick Schneider got the win, improving on an already impressive campaign in which he ranks second among qualified goalies in the Canada West in GAA and Save Pct.
 
The Bisons (3-7-1) were helped by a 33 save performance from fellow rookie netminder Luke Hughes, and another point for leading rookie scorer Brett Davis.
 
It was the first weekend series between the two teams in nearly two years, with both teams taking a game at Clare Drake this weekend.

The opening frame was one dominated by the Bears directly from the first faceoff. They outshot the Bisons 22-6 and looked a lot more energetic to begin play. While Alberta was in control of the period, they only entered the intermission with a 1-0 lead. This was due in large part, both positively and negatively, to the play of rookie Manitoba netminder Liam Hughes. He turned aside 21 of the 22 Bears shots, some of which were in high danger areas. However, at 14:47 he mishandled a puck behind his net and coughed it right up to Alberta's Daneel Lategan, who immediately through it in front to Matt Fonteyne who promptly redirected it to third-year forward Grayson Pawlenchuk who buried his fourth of the Canada West campaign in a wide open net.

The second period provided much of the same from last night's high-scoring affair. The period included four goals, two apiece. The scoring was started early by Nolan Volcan two minutes in, on an impressive effort that finished with a sneaky five-hole finish past Hughes. Manitoba would not rest on their deficit, however, as no more than thirty seconds later Devon Skoleski beat Schneider on his far post to bring the game back within one. It was another point from Manitoba's impressive scoring line, which also features Brett Davis, the primary assister on the play.
 
Later in the period, third-year veteran Geordie Keane potted his first of the year for the Bisons, to knot the game at 2. However, Alberta would have the last great opportunity of the period, a Fontyene goal from a perfect backhand pass on a breakout from Pawlenchuk. It was his third of the Canada West campaign.

The third frame was closed out effectively by the Golden Bears, who outshot and outscored the Bisons 12-6 & 3-0 respectively. Alberta's own rookie sensation Gary Haden sniped one home from outside the circle on a Bears powerplay late in the third to give the lead a cushion. This would only be added on to later, as the Bisons pulled Hughes twice in the final minutes, leading to two empty net goals from Fontyene and Josh Paterson.

The Bears split a home and home series next weekend against the MacEwan Griffins (3-7-0), while the Bisons finish up the first half of their Canada West campaign, and return to action after the winter break, also against MacEwan.