CALGARY - With a week to think about a character-building weekend against their Edmonton nemesis in which they responded to a huge victory with a crushing defeat, the University of Calgary Dinos are intent to prove they are for real against their southern foes, the Lethbridge Pronghorns.

Entertaining their home crowd on the international ice at Father David Bauer Arena last Friday, the Dinos rode a strong performance in net from Dustin Butler all the way to a 3-2 shootout victory over the defending Canada West champions, the Alberta Golden Bears. However, after travelling up the QEII with what they thought was momentum, Calgary's bubble was completely burst in the second half of the home and home series. Embarrassed by a score of 9-2 in the Clare Drake Arena, the Dinos left Edmonton wondering which game would prove the better indication of their season.

Travelling to Lethbridge this Thursday night before returning to Calgary for the Saturday rematch at the Bauer, the Dinos are presented with a good opportunity to figure out which team they really are against the 0-2 'Horns.

Head Coach Mark Howell went with Butler over fifth year veteran Jeff Weber in net on Friday against the Bears, and was rewarded with 38 saves and his first CIS victory. Sticking with Butler on Saturday, he saw a completely different result as the second year netminder could not get out of the first period, giving up two goals in eight minutes. Weber did not perform much better, giving up the other seven while making 20 saves in finishing out the game.

With the goaltending situation shaping up to be a competition for yet another year, the Dinos defence will need to step up after a rough weekend in which each defender showed signs of inconsistency. Dan Ehrman and Dustin Hatlelid are the veterans on the blue-line, and are charged with leading a young corps that sported five first year players in Saturday's game against the Bears.

The Dinos got the biggest offensive output of the weekend from one of their more underrated players, Teegan Moore, who notched three assists to go along with a goal to take the early team scoring lead and an early spot in the top 10 in Canada West. Kyle Annesley and Aaron Richards each registered two points each on the weekend, while Annesley added a goal in the shootout session on Friday, which Brock Nixon eventually sealed for Calgary.

Lethbridge, who was arguably the biggest surprise in Canada West in 2008 placing fourth with 14 wins on the year, stumbled out of the gate against the upstart Manitoba Bisons, getting swept in their season opening series in Winnipeg.

Scoring only two goals on the weekend, the Horns will certainly need more offense in order to help their goaltender Scott Bowles, who made 36 saves in each of his starts against the Bisons despite being credited with both losses.

Lethbridge's captain and leading scorer from 2008, Dustin Moore, scored for the Pronghorns in Friday's match, while Ryan Pottruff and Jason Roberts, who combined for 39 points last season, each registered a point as well. In leading his team in scoring, Moore was also seventh in points in Canada West in 2008.

The series opens in Lethbridge with a rare Thursday night game on the docket at the Nicholas Sheran Arena before bringing it all back to Calgary for a Saturday night rematch at Bauer. Puck drops at 7 p.m. for both games.

-UC-