CALGARY – With the regular season in the books the Calgary Dinos embark on their first CIS playoff series since 2000 when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Manitoba Bisons this weekend for a best-of-three Canada West semi-final.

Live Stats: http://www.leaguestat.com/canadawest/womens/en/stats/schedule.php
Live Audio (Saturday only): www.umfm.com

This series runs Friday through Sunday at Max Bell Arena in Winnipeg, with all three games facing off at 6 p.m. MT. Saturday nights game will be broadcast by the University of Manitoba's campus radio station, with a web feed available at www.umfm.com.

There is plenty on the line this weekend as a win in this series guarantees not only a berth into the Canada West conference final but also a berth into the CIS championship in Waterloo, Ont. March 10-13.

These teams don't need to think back far to recall their last meeting as Calgary (16-6-2) met Manitoba (16-5-3) in the Dinos' final series of the regular season two weeks ago. After a three-point night Friday where Calgary's Tanya Morgan won two shootouts in three hours for the Dinos, the Bisons bounced back to deny Calgary home ice advantage in the playoffs with a 2-0 shutout Saturday.

The final standings in Canada West weren't officially decided until the final weekend of the regular season with Manitoba leapfrogging Calgary with a pair of wins over UBC to put the Bisons into second place in Canada West. The other playoff matchup remained unchanged in the last weekend of the season with Saskatchewan (15-8-1) and Alberta (17-4-3) splitting a series in Edmonton. The Huskies will head right back to the Alberta capital this weekend for the other semi-final series.

Though Calgary and Manitoba have been closely matched throughout the regular season, all four meetings have been without Calgary's leading scorer and national team captain Hayley Wickenheiser. She is expected to rejoin the team for the playoffs after missing the final five games of the regular season. Wickenheiser's contribution, if she returns, should be meaningful as she finished the regular season as the leading scorer and point-getter in Canada West with 17 goals and 23 assists despite missing nine games due to injury and national team duties.

The Bisons will also see a strengthening of their lineup since the last time these teams met as Addie Miles rejoins the squad after helping the Canada win gold at the Winter Universiade in Turkey. Miles finished the regular season with nine goals and ten assists in 20 outings.

Secondary scoring has been huge for the Dinos, with a line led by Elana Lovell leading the charge in that department. Lovell ends the season with her traditionally high scoring numbers, 10 goals and 11 assists in 24 games with three of those goals counting as game winners.

Helping the cause for the Bisons are Tammy Brade and Nellie Minshull. Brade has put up the helpers all season with six goals and 12 assists while Minshull has been more adept at finding the back of the net with her 10 goals and six assists.

Defence will likely play a large part in this series given how close all four meetings between these teams have been this year and Calgary will be in good hands with assistant captain Melissa Zubick holding down the point. So far this season Zubick has led all Canada West defenders in points notching two goals and 12 assists with a +10 rating. Manitoba's lineup will feature a similar offensive powerhouse in Chelsea Braun who leads all Canada West defenders in goals with four markers during the regular season as well as three assists and an impressive +15 rating.

Calgary's rookies have played an enormous role in the team's success this season with Jenna Smith topping the Canada West rookie scoring race. Smith makes that list with a nine goal, seven-assist season.

Another new addition to the Dinos who has made a splash this season is goaltender Amanda Tapp who has 13 wins to her name this season, tying her with Saskatchewan's Mackenzie Rizos for most victories in Canada West. Her overall season includes a 1.64 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage, and four shutouts. Manitoba's net has been covered by Tara Laquette for most of the season as she posted nine wins in 17 starts for a 1.66GAA and a 0.920% save percentage.

The two semi-final winners, both assured of a spot at the CIS championship, will face off next weekend at the home of the highest remaining seed for the Canada West title.

-UC-