CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos women's hockey team (13-9-4) will play a home-and-home against the MacEwan University Griffins (6-19-1) this weekend.
The Dinos will open the weekend at home with Seniors' Night at Father David Bauer Arena, starting at 7 p.m. The teams will then travel north to face each other one day later at 5 p.m. at the Downtown Community Arena in Edmonton.
Having already secured a playoff spot last weekend, the Dinos will look to hold their fourth-place position in the standings. Before this weekend's games, the Griffins were officially been eliminated from playoff contention. This weekend marks the final regular season games of the 2022-23 season.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BUILDING MOMENTUM – The Dinos are coming off a successful weekend, having won both games against the Manitoba Bisons, en route to securing a playoff berth in this year's Canada West Playoffs. The Dinos are playing their best hockey at the right time. Over the past 10 games, Calgary has an impressive 8-1-1 record.
2. LEADER OF THE PACK – This season, Dinos fifth-year forward
Alli Borrow has proved her fondness for putting pucks in the net. Borrow currently leads Canada West with 14 goals and has two hat trick performances this season. Borrow has also come up big in the clutch this season, racking up three game-winning goals. With just two games left to play, Borrow is in pole position to take home the scoring title.
3. ROCK SOLID – Dinos third-year netminder
Gabriella Durante has been nothing short of incredible this season. Durante leads Canada West in minutes, having spent over 1450 minutes in the crease for Calgary this season. Durante also leads Canada West in shutouts with seven and has an impressive .933 save percentage and 1.94 goals-against average.
4. PLAYERS TO WATCH – Calgary forwards
Sydney Mercier and
Rebecca Clarke have provided solid offence for the Dinos throughout the season. The rookie Mercier ranks in the top 10 in the conference for points and leads the Dinos in assists with 12. The third-year forward Clarke has stepped up big as of late, scoring goals in three of the last five games and contributing three game-winning goals this season. Dinos fourth-year defender
Annaliese Meier has proved to be a force on both ends of the ice, tallying 11 assists for the Dinos so far this season. The Griffins have a two-way defender of their own. Sydney Hughson leads all Griffins in goals from the backend with five and has also added five assists to her name, as well. MacEwan's leading playmaker is third-year forward Makenna Schuttler, who has found her teammates seven times this season.
5. BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION – Dinos second-year head coach
Carla MacLeod has a chance to secure her first winning season this weekend in just her second year as the Calgary bench boss. MacLeod led the Dinos to seven wins last year in the unique pandemic-altered schedule. This season, she has nearly doubled that total (13) and has a chance to do so in the final two games of the regular season. Later this month, MacLeod will get her first crack at the playoffs as the Dinos look to make noise in the postseason tournament.
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