CALGARY – The No. 9-ranked University of Calgary Dinos will attempt to add to the University of Manitoba Bisons' early season woes as they host them for a two-game set this weekend at Father David Bauer Arena.

Game 1 goes on Friday with puck drop at 7 p.m., with the rematch taking place the following evening at 6 p.m.

Calgary enters their games against Manitoba with a record of 4-2-0-0. In their first visit to the prairies last weekend, the Dinos split two games against the Regina Cougars. Playing under a new system and new head coach Todd Johnson, Regina shocked Calgary in Game 1 as Andrew Hayes notched 21 save, 2-0 shutout. The next night the Dinos put out a better effort and came away with a 4-1 victory to salvage the road trip. Walker Wintoneak had a big game with two goals and an assist in Saturday's finale.

“I think you have to give credit to Regina, they have adapted their new game plan and culture quite a bit already, they competed really hard and made the game really difficult for us,” explained head coach Mark Howell. “Friday night I think we got caught up in that and didn't execute, we made some adjustments and brought a lot higher intensity on Saturday.”

“We went in and obviously lost the first one; I think it was a combination of them being a completely different team, so maybe some underestimation on our part, as well I didn't think we played our game,” added fifth-year defenceman Ryan Gillen. “On Saturday we knew what to expect, so by the second and third period we starting out playing, skating and hitting them.”

This weekend's games see another one of Calgary's playoff opponents from last spring roll into town. In the Canada West Semi-Finals last year, the Dinos stunned the conference's top team in two straight games from Winnipeg. Game 1 was a goaltending battle, won by Calgary 2-1 as Dustin Butler made 32 stops. The second game was a nail bitter, but it wasn't to be for the home side as Russell, Man. native Brock Nixon netted the overtime winner shorthanded to send the Dinos to the finals. The upset occurred despite Calgary losing five of the six regular season meetings, including three by way of shutout.

To date, the Bisons have been unable to repeat the success they had during the 2011-12 season. Manitoba was swept in opening weekend by Alberta but managed to split against the defending conference champion Huskies. The team sits at 3-3-0 now after sweeping Mount Royal in Calgary last weekend. Always a threat to score, Blair Macaulay has had a steady start to his campaign with three goals and three assists through six contests.

With the Cougars showing the Dinos that they are a team to be reckoned with last week, it once again demonstrates there will be no easy points up for grabs in Canada West. Through six games by each team, there are six squads separated by four or fewer points. UBC and Regina had proved so far in 2012-13 that they deserve to be mentioned along with the big four of Alberta, Calgary, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which will make for parody all season long.

“Since I've been in the league, it's always been expected that Regina, Lethbridge and UBC would be near the bottom, but the turnover is huge in this league, one year a team could be fourth and the next they could be first, there is no relaxing weekend for us and it's going to be a battle with no easy points,” said Gillen.

After taking a week off, the Dinos will play a pivotal home-and-home set against the Alberta Golden Bears on Nov. 9-10. The set will start in Edmonton before coming to Calgary the following night. The Bisons return home for games on Nov. 9-10 versus the Lethbridge Pronghorns.

-UC-