CALGARY – Coming off one of the greatest seasons in Canada West history, the University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey team is set to start its latest chapter Thursday night with the 2023-24 season opener against MacEwan University at 7 p.m. from Father David Bauer Arena.

The Dinos won a program record 25 games a season ago en route to their ninth conference championship in program history and start this season carrying a 23-game win streak into the opener.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

COACH HOWELL – Head coach Mark Howell enters his 15th season as the bench boss for the Scarlet & Gold. After the incredible performance a season ago, he was named not only the Canada West Coach of the Year, but also the top coach in all of U SPORTS – the second time he earned national coach of the year honours (also in 2011). Howell recently recorded his 300th career U SPORTS win across all competitions in this year's preseason action, and enters the regular season with a record to 305-231 (.569) in 536 total career games.

PICKED ON TOP – Canada West announced the results of the annual preseason coaches' poll earlier this week and to no surprise, the defending champion Dinos were picked on top. Calgary received six of the nine first-place votes and tallied 70 total points in the poll. Alberta (63 points) received two first-place votes, while UBC (59) picked up the remaining top nod.

PRESEASON SUCCESS – Calgary will look to continue its strong start during this year's preseason competition that saw the Dinos go 6-0, with a pair of wins each over Alberta, Saskatchewan and Mount Royal.

FOR STARTERS – The Dinos are 8-5 in conference openers under head coach Mark Howell. In fact, last year's loss to UBC in Vancouver was the first season-opening loss since the start of the 2017-18 campaign. Thursday's contest will be the first opener against the young MacEwan program for Calgary.

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