CALGARY - After a tough weekend in Regina, the Calgary Dinos currently find themselves in unfamiliar territory in the 2008-09 season: last place. Unfortunately for the Dinos, their upcoming home weekend will not be any less of a challenge, as an angry Saskatchewan Huskies team comes to the Father David Bauer Arena for a two-game set.
After having lost so many hard-fought, close games throughout the season, the Dinos were simply outplayed against the Cougars this past weekend in Regina, losing by scores of 3-0 and 6-2. The lone bright spot for the Dinos on the weekend was first year forward Brock Nixon, who tallied both goals in the Sunday matinee affair.
Neither Calgary goaltender had much luck at all against the Regina Cougars, as Jeff Weber and Dustin Butler let five and four goals past them on the weekend, respectively. Both goaltenders have no choice but to move on and re-focus from the loss as they will be up against the two most prolific scorers in Canada West this season.
Previously against the Huskies in October, it was all Torrie Wheat and Reid Jorgensen, who combined for ten points in a weekend split in the tough Rutherford Arena in Saskatoon. Wheat and Jorgensen, who are among the conference's best offensive talents, have cooled off since their early season exploits, but will undoubtedly be looking to dispatch the Huskies once again.
With a UBC shootout win this weekend against the Manitoba Bisons, the Thunderbirds moved up the Canada West ladder, while the Dinos remained stagnant at 13 points in the standings. Having lost 11 of their past 12 games, the Dinos are now one point below the T-Birds, with both teams having played an equal amount of games. In what could be a fight to the finish for the final Canada West playoff bid, the Dinos and T-Birds potentially have a very interesting season ending weekend clash on the horizon.
The Saskatchewan Huskies come to Calgary this weekend after being swept by the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton. With their goals of first place and crucial home-ice advantage in the playoffs slipping from their grasp, the Huskies need nothing but wins and further help from the Bears as they finish out the season.
The Huskies boast two of the best players in the conference in first year prized recruit Steven DaSilva and second year forward Steven Gillen, both of whom currently lead the Canada West points race. DaSilva in particular has been a menace to goaltenders all season, having scored 16 goals in 22 games. His 16 goals put him five goals ahead of the next leading scorers in Canada West, who just happen to be Calgary snipers Torrie Wheat and Brett O'Malley.
Jeff Harvey leads the Huskies in net, and has played 19 of their 22 games, logging 1104 minutes of ice time. With 18 of his 49 goals against and all three of his losses on the year going against the Alberta Bears, Harvey has been spectacular against the rest of Canada West, going 12-0-1 with a 2.15 GAA in those 13 games.
Puck drops at seven o'clock on both Friday and Saturday evening at the Father David Bauer Arena. Following the weekend series, the Huskies will return home to host the aforementioned UBC Thunderbirds, while the Dinos board a plane to Winnipeg to face the third place Manitoba Bisons.
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