CALGARY – Heading to Regina for the first of two road weekends in Saskatchewan, the University of Calgary Dinos will look to take advantage of the last-place Cougars in their search for victories as they hit the stretch run of their season.

Currently in third place, and mired in a race for second with the University of Manitoba Bisons, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and a late-charging Lethbridge Pronghorns, the Dinos (10-8-4) failed to capitalize on a head-to-head battle with the Bisons this past weekend.

In what head coach Mark Howell called the team's “first 60-minute effort of the season,” the Dinos dominated Manitoba by a score of 6-1 on Friday night, with Reid Jorgensen and Torrie Wheat each notching three points.

However this preceded a less-than-stellar effort on Saturday, where the Bisons slipped by with a 3-2 victory and more importantly, a crucial two points in the standings.

Along with Saskatchewan losing two overtime games against Alberta, three teams in the hunt each nabbed two points over the weekend, which means nothing changes in the standings aside from Lethbridge creeping closer in fifth after a weekend sweep of the UBC Thunderbirds. However, the team most negatively affected by the weekend stalemate is arguably Calgary. With only six games remaining compared to eight for the two prairie squads, the Dinos can ill afford to give up points in the standings as they jostle for playoff positioning.

Second place in Canada West is especially important this year, as the top two conference playoff finishers will represent Canada West at the University Cup, hosted by Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont. With first place all but wrapped up by the No. 2 Alberta Golden Bears, second place solidifies home-ice in the conference semi-finals, which could prove to be vital. All four teams with a realistic shot at second own a combined 28-9-5 record in the confines of their home-rink.

Calgary will have a great chance to make up ground this weekend against the Cougars, who have had their struggles in 2009-10. Currently in last place in Canada West with a 6-11-1 record, the Cougars do have the most remaining games left to play, but will be hard pressed to make a charge at a playoff spot as look up at a 10 point deficit.

The Dinos won both of their games against Regina at Father David Bauer on Halloween weekend, taking 5-2 and 2-1 decisions. Calgary goaltender Dustin Butler was especially good in the two games, turning away 53 Cougar shots.

Jorgensen has been the driving force for Calgary in the second semester, having extended to his point streak to 11 games and ascending to fourth in the conference in scoring with 26 points. Ten of those points have come in his past six games.

Wheat has been a consistent scoring threat for the Dinos with 20 points, while the troika of Brock Nixon, Kyle Annesley and Teegan Moore have each contributed 16. Rookie defenceman Cory Pritz also had a solid weekend against the Bisons, registering three points to bring his season total to eight.

The Cougars are led by forwards Tanner Shultz and Craig Cuthbert, who have 11 and 10 points respectively. The Cougars have had offensive struggles this season, scoring a conference low 42 goals and registering a paltry 9.6 per cent on the power play. Seven different Dinos have point totals higher than the team-leading Shultz.

Regina has given quality minutes to all three of their goaltenders thus far, and Adam Ward has found the best luck. The former Regina Pat has won three of the teams' six games, and has a solid 0.915 save percentage.

Following the weekend series, Regina will host Manitoba, while Calgary will enjoy a bye weekend. Calgary will then return to Saskatchewan for a potentially crucial weekend set against the Huskies at Rutherford Arena in Saskatoon.

-UC-