CALGARY – Facing their second provincial opponent in three weeks to open the season, the Calgary Dinos are still looking for the win column as they open the 2010-11 season at home on Saturday night.

Drawing the defending Canada West champion Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton to start the season, the Dinos struggled, dropping 5-2 and 4-1 decisions with goaltenders Nathan Deobald and Kris Lazaruk credited with the respective losses.

With Thanksgiving weekend off to re-focus, Calgary will now engage in a home-and-home series with the Lethbridge Pronghorns, who are opening their season against the Dinos. The Dinos will travel south on Friday night before turning around for their home opener at Father David Bauer on Saturday.

The Dinos and Horns played two preseason games early in September in each teams' rink, with Lethbridge taking both games in the shootout by identical 3-2 match-ups. Rookie Calgary defenceman Kodie Curran turned heads in the game in Calgary, scoring two goals in his first appearance in the red and white.

Lethbridge had the upper hand in the head-to-head match-ups last season, going 2-1-1 against the Dinos. Calgary had the last laugh though, edging the Horns by two points for the fourth and final playoff spot in Canada West. In the past three years, the teams have been fairly equal, with Calgary slightly behind at 6-7-3.

Jerrid Sauer was a bright spot for Calgary in their opening weekend in Edmonton, potting two goals in the weekend series, while 2009-10 Canada West All-Star Reid Jorgensen picked up where he left off, notching a goal and an assist.

The Dinos got an assist each from Torrie Wheat and Teegan Moore as well, two forwards who will be counted on for more production as the season gains steam. Defencemen Eric Frere and Joel Eisenkirch are the veteran blue-liners looking to help create a defensive identity for Calgary.

Dustin Moore returns for his another year with Lethbridge and is aiming for a repeat of a sensational 2009-10 season. The third year forward scored 37 points in 24 games for the Horns, good for third in the conference as well as a first-team Canada West All-Star nod.

His teammate on the Canada West All-Star first team as well as on the Pronghorns, Ryan Pottruff, also returns for Lethbridge as their rock on the blue-line, while Andrew Courtenay and Brian Matte come back after 18 point seasons.

Calgary had a tough preseason against top competition, dropping two games to New Brunswick, a game to Alberta and a game to Saskatchewan before finishing with a 5-2 victory over the Regina Cougars. The Pronghorns went on a Colorado road trip during their preseason, where they beat the University of Denver before dropping decisions to Colorado College and the United States Air Force Academy.

Following the weekend series, Lethbridge will travel to Edmonton to face the Alberta Golden Bears, while Calgary will fly to Vancouver to play two games against the UBC Thunderbirds.

-UC-