WINNIPEG – Manitoba Bisons forward Jordyn Zacharias scored her third game-winner in the last four home games and goalie Erin Fargey turned in a shutout performance, as the duo led Manitoba (5-13-2-1) to a 1-0 overtime victory over the UBC Thunderbirds (7-9-1-4) on Friday at Wayne Fleming Arena.

Fargey, the second-year goalie from Calgary, steered away all 35 shots the visitors threw her way before Zacharias scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

"Erin has played well for us all year," said Bisons head coach Jon Rempel. "The girls fought hard in front her to keep shots to the outside and played some great defence." 

The loss means UBC is now winless in their last nine games, only managing to pick up two points over that span.

"The shot volume was there tonight but we didn't force their goalie to make a lot of those huge, unbelievable saves," commented UBC head coach Graham Thomas. "That's still a game that can keep us positive going into tomorrow despite the score."

The opening period was kept scoreless in large part due to the play of Fargey. After what was a defensive battle to begin the game, the Thunderbirds began to find their offensive touch midway through the first period but were stymied by Fargey on multiple occasions. 

The Bisons were robbed on their best scoring chance of the period when Zacharias was hauled down illegally after beating the last UBC defender. Manitoba was unable to convert on the following power play.

Fargey continued to be the story in the second. Outshooting the Bisons 24-6 by the end of the middle frame, the Thunderbirds were unable to solve Manitoba netminder despite several dominant phases in the offensive zone.

Manitoba finally began to find their offence late in the third, doubling their shot total in the final 10 minutes of the period. Zacharias fired a shot from along the goal line, giving UBC goaltender Tory Micklash some trouble but the puck was eventually cleared out of the zone. 
 
Perhaps the best scoring chance in regulation for the Bisons came after Camyrn Gillis retrieved the puck on the forecheck and found Emilie Masse with a pass alone in the slot. With no Thunderbirds around, Masse unloaded a shot at Micklash, narrowly missing the far side. The two teams played to scoreless tie at the end of third and needed overtime to break the 0-0 deadlock.

With just 40 seconds remaining in the first overtime period, Zacharias found a loose puck, carried it across the crease and buried it past a sprawling Micklash to clinch a 1-0 victory for her Bisons.

Both teams will be back at Wayne Fleming Arena tomorrow at 2 p.m. to conclude the two-game weekend series.