It's an action-packed weekend, as six different teams are competing across Canada. At home, the volleyball teams open their home schedule at Investors Group Athletic Centre, including super spooky saturday on the 29th, while men's hockey plays the final set of games at The RINK before returning to Wayne Fleming Arena starting in November. Additionally, football, women's hockey and cross country are all on the road. 

Men's hockey (4-2-0-0) versus Mount Royal (4-2-0-2)
Location: The RINK Training Centre, Oak Bluff, Manitoba
Game times: 7 pm Friday and Saturday 
Follow along: @umbisons on Twitter or canadawest.tv
Tickets: Click here

• Riding a four-game win streak, the men's hockey team welcomes Mount Royal to town for a critical weekend battle between two teams who are two points away from each other in the standings. Special teams will be a storyline to follow in this one, as the Bisons have the second-best power play in the conference, operating at 29.6 percent, with eight goals scored. On the other end, the Cougars have the league's second-best penalty kill percentage, at 82.9 percent. Mount Royal has also scored two short-handed goals. 
• Manitoba goalie Ross Hawryluk -- who has won his last four games in a row -- is fourth in the conference, with 169 saves and is just 21 saves behind Isaac LaBelle from Trinity Western for first, despite playing in one less game. His save percentage of .923 is also second best amongst players who have played at least five games. 
• Two of the top scoring lines in the nation will do battle in this one. Riley Sawchuk leads the conference with 15 points (a point in every game), while Nolan Yaremko is fourth, with 13 points for MRU. For the Herd, Devon Skoleski has 11 points (a point in every game), while Brett Davis also has 11. 
• Bisons blue-liner Chase Hartje leads all defencemen in scoring, with 12 points and alsoo leads the Herd in that category. He has also eclipsed his entire point total from 2021, which was ten. 
• Bisons head coach Mike Sirant will coach in his 700th conference game in Saturday's action. That total is the second-most in the history of CanWest.

Volleyball (0-2) versus Thompson Rivers (Men are 1-1, women are 2-0)
Location: Investors Group Athletic Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Game times: Women at 2 pm Saturday, men at 3:45 pm, women at 1 pm Sunday, men at 2:45 
Follow along: @umbisons on Twitter or canadawest.tv
Tickets: Click here

• Manitoba opened the season with a stiff test against perennial conference champion Trinity Western. The men took four sets off the Spartans, including two in game two, while the women went to extra points in multiple sets in game two. 
• Second-year middle Eve Catojo's 15 total blocks from last weekend were the second-most of anyone in the conference, and the most amongst players who played in six sets. Furthering the women's volleyball team's strong defensive core, third-year libero Julia Arnold led all players in the conference with 37 digs in six sets, as well as 6.17 digs per set. Manitoba will need to be on the ball this weekend against an attack that includes Ema Palkovicova, who had a .396 hitting percentage and 23 kills in week one. 
• Rookie sensation Raya Surinx's 27 points were the most of any Bison and were seventh in the conference after week one. Her 4.33 kills per set also ranked second. 
• Manitoba's men's team has a well balanced attack, which was on full display against TWU. Fifth-year setter Jack Mandryk distributed the ball well, with 62 assists, while the whole team got involved on defence, led by second-year middle Jonah Dueck, who had 15 total blocks and 1.88 per set, both top two in the conference. 
• Primary attacker Ben Carleton, in his fourth year, was responsible for the final kill in sets three and fourth against TWU in the team's second game and led the Bisons with 26 kills over two games. 

Football (3-4) at Regina (5-2)
Location: Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan
Game times: 3 pm CT
Follow along: @umbisons on Twitter or canadawest.tv

• Manitoba can clinch the fourth and final playoff spot with a win over Regina. They will also make the playoffs if Alberta loses to UBC. 
• The two teams met in the first week of the season, a 33-23 win for Regina. Special teams played a major factor in the result, with Regina blocking two kicks. Offensively, Des Catellier threw for 390 yards and three majors. 
• Receiver AK Gassama leads the conference with 539 yards, including going over 100 in each of his last two. Running back Breydon Stubbs is also fourth in the conference, with 357 yards and is averaging 6.4 yards per carry. 
• Field goal efficiency has been a problem for Regina this year, as Aldo Galvin has converted on just 63 percent of his attempts. Niko DiFonte on the other hand, has missed just one field goal. 

Women's hockey (3-3-0-0) at Mount Royal (6-1-1-0)
Location: Mount Royal 
Game times: 8 pm Friday and 4 pm Saturday, CT
Follow along: @umbisons on Twitter or canadawest.tv

• The Bisons are 3-3 in their last six games at Mount Royal. The Cougars enter the game having scored the most goals in the conference, at 27, six more than any other team while having six players with a +/- above four. Manitoba counters with a power play that is operating at the best efficiency (12.5 percent) of any team when playing on the road. 
• The quick and creative duo of Sarah Dennehy and Kate Gregoire have combined for seven points this season, helping the Bisons to strong starts in games past. The Herd are undefeated when leading after the first and second period and will look to get on the board early against MRU. 
• Kimberley Davidson's eight goals allowed are the second best of any goalie who has played in at least three games.