CALGARY – Canada West playoff action kicks off this weekend with the quarter-finals as the University of Calgary Dinos women's hockey team hosts the Saskatchewan Huskies in a best-of-three series at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary.
 
Game 1 begins Friday at 7 p.m and Game 2 will be played Saturday at 6 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will be played on Sunday at 6 p.m. The winner of the series will advance to play either UBC or Alberta on the road in the Canada West Semifinal next weekend.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
 
1. PATH TO THE PLAYOFFS – After a 4-7-1 start to the season, the Dinos have roared back in a big way, finishing the season in fourth place in the Canada West standings with an impressive 15-9-4 record. Calgary enters the playoffs with a lot of momentum, going 10-1-1 over their last 12 games. The Huskies had a strong start to their season, tallying 10 wins before the winter break, thanks in large part to a five-game win streak in November. After winning their first two games of 2023, Saskatchewan ran into some tough opponents that gave them some trouble, going 4-6 in their last 10 games. The Huskies ultimately finished fifth place in the Canada West regular season standings, going 14-11-3.
 
2. HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD – The Dinos and Huskies faced each other four times this season, with all four games needing overtime. Both teams went 1-1 on their home ice. Saskatchewan won both opening games, while Calgary twice won the last game of each series. The Huskies were able to secure victory in both games that needed just a single overtime, while Calgary won both double OT contests.
 
3. STANDOUT DINOS – Several Dinos have stepped up big for their team this year. Third-year goalie Gabriella Durante has been consistently excellent. Durante led the conference in shutouts with seven as well as minutes played with over 1500. In addition, Durante had a strong save percentage (.932) and goals against average (1.94). Fifth-year forward Alli Borrow led not only her team but all of Canada West with 15 goals, including two hat-trick performances. Dinos' rookie Sydney Mercier led all rookie skaters in the conference with 22 points and led Calgary in assists with 13.
 
4. BACK IN THE DANCE – The Dinos return to the playoffs after a one-season hiatus, but due to the cancelled 2020-21 season, this is the first playoff trip for Calgary since 2020. That year, the Dinos earned a first-round bye and hosted the Mount Royal Cougars in the conference semifinal. After winning the opening game of that series 3-2, Calgary dropped Game 2 by an identical score, then suffered a 1-0 heartbreak in double overtime in a decisive Game 3.
 
5. SPECIAL TEAMS – Saskatchewan enters the weekend with the fifth-ranked power play, operating at 13.6% during the regular season and totalling 17 goals. Calgary's power play ranks eighth, as the Dinos operated at 10.5% during the regular season, tallying 11 goals. The Huskies have the second-ranked penalty kill unit, with an efficiency of 89.3 %, allowing just 11 power-play goals all season. The Dinos' penalty kill is equally as impressive, as their penalty kill unit ranks third with an efficiency of 88.5%, allowing only 13 goals all year.

-UC-