CALGARY – The Battle of Alberta returns as the red-hot No. 5 University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey team (11-3) will play the No. 2 University of Alberta Golden Bears (11-2-1) in a home-and-home this weekend.
Calgary will host the first game on Friday night at Father David Bauer Arena, beginning at 7 p.m. The action resumes Saturday at 7 p.m., as Edmonton will host Calgary at the Clare Drake Arena.
Additionally, fans can receive a discounted ticket to the Dinos home game this weekend while helping a good cause. Bring a non-perishable food item for a food bank run by the university's student union and see this year's Battle of Alberta for a discounted rate price.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. RIVALRY REIGNITED – Calgary vs. Edmonton, The Battle of Alberta, is one of the fiercest rivalries in Canadian sports. This is no exception when it comes to U SPORTS as the Dinos and Golden Bears have had memorable matchups across a number of sports. When it comes to hockey the Golden Bears have bragging rights. Alberta's record against Calgary is 51-88-11 in conference play, dating back to 1985. Adding fuel to the fire, Calgary and Alberta are currently separated by just a single point at the top of the conference standings. This is the first and only time these two teams will meet this season.
2. ROARING DINOS – The Dinos have been on a tear lately, winning nine consecutive games, with six of those wins being by three goals or more. Over the nine-game stretch, Calgary is averaging a spectacular 4.8 goals per game. When a team is on a roll like the Dinos currently are, many players contribute every night to the team's success.
Jake Gricius (15 points),
Connor Gutenberg (10 points) and
Jadon Joseph (eight points) have all scored five goals throughout the nine-game stretch. The Dinos' nine consecutive wins rank up there in school history, eclipsed only in the last decade by a 13-game win streak to start the 2013-14 season.
3. GOLDEN GOAL SCORERS – Alberta leads Canada West in several offensive categories, including goals per game at 4.8. Incredibly, three skaters have managed to score 10 goals this season for Alberta; Tyler Preziuso, Matt Fonteyene and Jakin Smallwood. After finishing his career with the WHL's Winnipeg Ice, Smallwood has powered Alberta's explosive offence, registering 25 points in his first year of U SPORTS eligibility.
4. LET'S GET PHYSICAL – Despite being the top-ranked team in Canada West, Alberta spends a lot of time shorthanded. On average, the Golden Bears spend just under a full period of play with less than five skaters on the ice (19:10). This is a storyline to watch as Calgary is operating at 22.7% on the power play this season and has amassed 17 PP goals.
5. RIGHT ON SCHEDULE – The Dinos have won two games in overtime, one via shootout against UBC, the other a miraculous 4-3 double overtime victory against the Mount Royal Cougars on Oct. 15, which springboarded Calgary's current win streak. Similarly, Alberta has only gone to overtime once this season, losing 4-3 to MacEwan on Oct. 7. Win or lose, the Golden Bears have only had four of their 14 games decided by two goals or less.
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