CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos women's hockey team takes on the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns in a home-and-home series to begin the 2017-18 season. The Dinos will look to improve on their 5-19-4 record from last season.

The coaching duo of head coach Danielle Goyette and assistant coach Tim Bothwell enters its third season together behind the bench. After some growing pains last season, the coaching brass expects a big turnaround led by the youthful core.

"We're in a phase where we are expecting more from our players, the ones who have one or two years under their belt," said Goyette, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. "Now it's time for them to be leaders and to be accountable on the ice and off the ice and it's the same thing for us as coaches – our expectations have to be higher."

With two big scorers, Sasha Vafina (6G, 7A) and Heather Berzins (4G, 7A) along with former captain Megan Grenon graduating, the Dinos have their work cut out for them to score some goals. Goyette and Bothwell believe that team wide scoring, everyone chipping in, will be paramount to their success.

"Last season we said to the players, if everybody in this room gets one more goal each, we make the playoffs," Goyette said. "It's a reality that you can't count on just one player to take the lead. That's the kind of team we have to be. If we count on just one player, we are going to struggle."

On defence, fourth-year blueliners Georgina Williams and Morgan Loroff, along with third-year Paige Michalenko will lead the way as the veterans. With 10 points between them last season, they will be expected to have an increased offensive role as defenders. 

The goaltending duties are up for grabs, as the Dinos plan to rotate starts between second-year netminder Kelsey Roberts and Sarah Murray, who enters her third season. Roberts is coming off her rookie season, where she got better as the year went on, finishing the season with a save percentage of .912. Murray, on the other hand, has been very solid in the preseason, and is primed to have a bounce back campaign.

"If they can keep playing the way they've been playing, we'll have as good goaltending as anybody," said Bothwell. "Both of them have looked pretty good so far, and that's probably the biggest plus for us right now, because if you have good goaltending you always have a chance."

To help complement the core, six recruits have been brought in to push the Dinos back into the playoffs. In the forward group, Holly Reuther and Carley Wlad will bring strong ability to play a 200-foot game. On the blue line, Katie Duncan, Laine Grace and Darcie Setzer will provide greater stability to the defense. In the crease, Kate Lloyd will be the third stringer, while Hailey Dowling remains injured with concussion issues.

"All the first-years this year, I love their attitude, I love their work ethic," said Goyette. "They listen well, they want to get better and as coaches, I don't think you can ask for anything better. If we see something, they have taken the feedback, they move on and they work on it and that's great. They can make a difference on this team right away."

After starting last season with a four-game losing streak, the Dinos are primed to start off strong. They will travel to Nicholas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge, Friday for a 7 p.m. puck drop before returning to Father David Bauer Arena for their home opener Saturday at 6 p.m. Both games will be available live on CanadaWest.tv.

-UC-