The No. 6 Manitoba Bisons make their first appearance at the Bell Varsity Cup. Last season, Manitoba lost to Regina in the Canada West Great Plains Division semi-finals to the Regina Cougars. This year, however, the Bisons are a much stronger team, having beefed up with a great recruiting class and have a Canada West record of 9-5-2 and are 11-9-2 overall. The Bisons are fighting it out with Saskatchewan in the Great Plains Division, hoping to earn one of the two spots open to Canada West this season for the CIS National Championships as Alberta is host and Canada West gets the rotating wild card spot this year as well. Manitoba is coming off a Dec. 15th 6-3 exhibition loss to the Canadian National Jr. Team played on Winnipeg.
Head Coach Mike Sirant said the Bell Varsity Cup is a great opportunity for his team to compete against top opponents. "The University of Manitoba Bisons are very excited and honoured to participate in the 2004 Bell Varsity Cup that will feature some of the best hockey teams in the CIS. The outstanding level of competition will provide excellent preparation for the Bisons as we begin the second half of our Canada West Conference schedule and continue our pursuit of a berth at the CIS National Championships in Edmonton, Alberta. Congratulations to the Lakehead University Thunderwolves, and the many tournament sponsors and volunteers for the hosting of a first class event."
Historical Head to Head:
Manitoba is 2-1 against the Thunderwolves, 3-3-0 vs Ottawa and has not played UNB.
The Bisons have some big guns who can put the puck in the net like Paul Deniset, Chris Falloon, Reagan Leslie, Kevin Saurette, Jordan Little and Grant Jacobsen. Deniset (Can West All-Star) and Saurette (CIS All-Rookie, 5 goals and 11 assists) are some of the Bison's key returning players this season. Deniset (9 goals, 11 assists, 11th CIS, 3rd Can West) was the only CIS player chosen by Hockey Canada to play for Team Canada at the Loto Cup in Slovakia this Dec. 14-18. Jordan Little (2 goals and 2 assists) is a big defenseman who was the top choice in the Bell Making The Cut reality tv program and was selected first by the Edmonton Oilers. Falloon (5 goals and 7 assists) is a first year grad of the WHL Prince George Cougars, d-man Leslie is a first year player by way of the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings, and fellow rookie Jacobsen was the Captain of the WHL Kamloops Blazers last year. Another key recruit is goaltender Krister Toews who was the netminder for the WHL Portland Winter Hawks.
Manitoba 04-05 Results:
Sat Dec 4 Saskatchewan 5 Manitoba 1
Fri Dec 3 Saskatchewan 5 Manitoba 1
Sat Nov 27 Manitoba 4 Regina 0
Fri Nov 26 Manitoba 5 Regina 1
Sat Nov 20 Alberta 5 Manitoba 2
Fri Nov 19 Alberta 6 Manitoba 1
Sat Nov 13 Manitoba 3 UBC 3 OT TIE
Fri Nov 12 Manitoba 6 UBC 2
Sat Nov 6 Manitoba 3 Calgary 1
Fri Nov 5 Manitoba 3 Calgary 2
Sat Oct 30 Manitoba 10 Lethbridge 1
Fri Oct 29 Manitoba 6 Lethbridge 1
Sun Oct 24 Manitoba 5 Bemidji St 2 EX
Sat Oct 16 Manitoba 4 Regina 3
Fri Oct 15 Manitoba 3 Regina 3 TIE OT
Sat Oct 9 Manitoba 4 Alberta 1
Fri Oct 8 Alberta 3 Manitoba 2
Mon Oct 4 Nebraska-Omaha 7 Manitoba 0 EX
Sat Oct 2 North Dakota 8 Manitoba 3 EX
Fri Sep 24 Manitoba 4 Saskatchewan 2 NC
Sat Sep 25 Alberta 6 Manitoba 3 NC
Sun Sep 26 Regina 7 Manitoba 0 NC
For more information on Manitoba hockey, click here.