CALGARY – The No. 1-ranked University of Calgary Dinos and No. 4 University of Alberta Pandas will battle for first place in Canada West this weekend as they meet for the first time this season in a two-game set at Father David Bauer Arena.

The set starts on Friday night with a 7 p.m. puck drop. Game 2 will be a matinee with the game starting at 3 p.m.

This weekend's series is a rematch of last year's conference finals which played out at Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. After going 3-1-0 against their northern rivals in the regular season, the Dinos used two third period goals to claim Game 1 of the Canada West Final. The next day, Calgary would shutout Alberta, an 11-time conference champion, to claim their first ever Canada West title. The two nemeses met again in the national championship tournament, but once again the Dinos prevailed to book their ticket to the final.

After having their 22-game win streak snapped a couple of weeks ago, the Dinos are eager to continue their new one. Last weekend Calgary proved their slip up against the Regina Cougars was only that, as the team handed the Manitoba Bisons two losses. The Dinos were all around the Bisons' net and their top forwards made a presence on the score sheet with another big weekend.

Alberta had their perfect start to the season come to an end while taking on Lethbridge in their past two games. The Pandas managed to get past the Pronghorns in the first game of the set as Hayley Helland scored in overtime. The next night was claimed by Lethbridge though as sniper Kirsten Reeves netted the game-winner on the power play with 29 seconds left in regulation. The loss bumped Alberta out of first in the conference and a point behind Calgary.

Former Panda Stephanie Ramsay comes off an impressive weekend last week which earned her the honor of Canada West female athlete of the week. Also recently named an All-Canadian, Ramsay posted four points in two games against Manitoba. She leads the conference in scoring by defencemen with nine points in eight games.

While Calgary is led by the big three of Iya Gavrilova, Jenna Smith, and Hayley Wickenheiser, Alberta has its own pair of forwards who are putting up impressive numbers. Sarah Hilworth is now in his final season of eligibility and is looking to go out in style. Hilworth is on pace for a fourth-straight 20-plus point season after collecting a career-high 29 points in 2011-12.

Now in her third year with the Pandas, Karla Bourke comes in to Calgary with some added scoring to her game and gives her squad some insurance with Hilworth in her final season. Through eight games, Bourke has three goals and seven assists which puts her on pace to nearly double her career best totals from her rookie campaign.

The Dinos will have a week off before they head out to Saskatoon and play two games against the Saskatchewan Huskies on Nov. 16-17. The Pandas will also take a break and will be back in action on Nov. 16-17 as they host the Regina Cougars.

-UC-