With only for conference games remaining in the Canada West men's hockey for the 2014-15 season, the Manitoba Bisons want to continue their winning ways at home as they have won three of the last four conference games to start the second half.
The Bisons host the Saskatchewan Huskies at the Wayne Fleming Arena on January 23-24 weekend. Puck drop versus the Huskies will be 7 p.m. CT on Friday and 6 p.m. CT on Saturday. Saturday is also senior night, as four Manitoba players (Aaron Lewadniuk, Darren Bestland, Taylor Dickin and Jory Coates) will be recognized for their contribution to the Bison men's hockey program.
In the conference standings, Manitoba is in fifth place with a 12-12-0 record for 24 points and have clinched a playoff spot while Sask. sits in sixth with a 10-13-1 mark for 21 points. Top 6 make the post-season while the top $ host playoff round. UBC is fourth only two points ahead of the Herd.
This is the second weekend series between the two teams this season as they played earlier in October at Saskatoon and Manitoba swept the Huskies (Oct. 10/14: W 4-1; Oct. 11/14: W 5-2).
Heading into the crucial weekend series for both teams, Manitoba holds a 7-5-0 home record while Saskatchewan has a road mark of 4-7-1.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan have three players in the Canada West Top 10 scoring. For the Bisons, forward Jordan DePape is sixth with 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) while forward Aaron Lewadniuk (10g, 12a) is tied for ninth at 22 points plus forward Shaquille Merasty (9g, 11a) is tied for 11th with 20 points. For the Huskies, Craig McCallum (11g, 13a) is in eight spot with 24 points and Josh Roach is tied with Merasty in 11th with 20 points.
In the nets, Bison netminder Deven Dubyk has played in 20 conference regular season games and tied for fourth in Save Percentage at .918, eighth in Goals Against Average at 2.50, tied for second with two shutouts and second in conference win with ten. Huskies' tandem is Ryan Holfeld and Jordon Cooke, Both have played 12 games each with Holfeld in ninth with 2.61 GAA and Cooke in tenth in Canada West with 2.81 GAA.
Bison Notes: If you can't make it down to the games in person, make sure to log on to canadawest.tv for a special web stream broadcast of both games. Enjoy full coverage of all the exciting conference action, including instant replays, commentary and analysis from talented student on-air personalities from Red River College plus reactions from the coaches and players throughout the weekend series.
