CALGARY – With a home playoff date on the line, the Calgary Dinos will travel to Winnipeg this weekend to face off against the Manitoba Bisons in the conclusion of the Dinos' regular season.

Last weekend the Dinos were successful in earning three out of a possible four points against the Saskatchewan Huskies in a 3-4 overtime loss and a 2-1 victory. Their record currently sits at 14-5-2, good enough for second spot in Canada West with 30 points.

Following closely on their heels are the Bisons with a 13-5-1 record, for a total of 27 points. Manitoba is fresh off a split series against Regina with the Bisons losing the first game 2-1 before shutting the visitors out 3-0. The playoff race in Canada West is incredibly tight with Alberta leading the way with 31 points and two games left to be played, both against Regina this weekend.

The Dinos are right on their heels with 30 points and three games left to be completed. It's a once-in-a-blue-moon scenario, as the Dinos and Bisons play a five-point weekend.

Before Friday's series opener faces off, the two teams will complete a shootout that started way back on Nov. 12 at the Olympic Oval. Manitoba was initially awarded a 3-2 victory by outscoring the Dinos 1-0 in the shootout; however, Calgary protested an incorrect referee's ruling on the Bisons' shootout goal and the protest was upheld. As a result, the game is still incomplete and Manitoba has one shooter left. If she scores, the Bisons win the game and the next game will begin immediately; if not, the teams will go to the sudden-death portion of the shootout.

Manitoba is in third spot with 27 points and five games yet to be decided including the disputed shootout: this weekend's series and next week's road series against UBC. Slotting into fourth spot is the Saskatchewan Huskies with 25 points and four games to play – a pair against UBC and a pair against Alberta. All four teams are guaranteed a playoff spot as the next closest team is the Regina Cougars with 16 points.

The playoff format in Canada West sees the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals with the first and second place teams hosting a series. Each series will be a best-of-three match-up played between Feb. 18-20.

This weekend's match-up will be interesting as both teams will likely be without a key piece of their offences. The Dinos have spent the last two weeks without their leading scorer Hayley Wickenheiser after she suffered an injury Jan. 21 against Alberta. Manitoba, meanwhile, will be without fourth-year forward Addie Miles, their second highest goal getter, as she competes for Team Canada at the Winter Universiade in Turkey.

Filling in the scoring gaps for the Dinos in Wickenheiser's absence has been a group of rookies including Jenna Smith, Kira Sonnenberg, and Erika Mitschke. Smith leads those three with 16 points in 18 games including nine goals and seven assists. Also adding to the Dinos' cause is Erin Davidson, a third-year forward, whose prowess on the forecheck last weekend helped kill numerous penalties and earned her a shorthanded goal.

The series faces off at Max Bell Arena in Winnipeg on February 4th and 5th with both games beginning at 6 p.m. MT.

-UC-