Refreshed and healthy, Manitoba welcomes Regina to town for a two-game home set at Wayne Fleming Arena to begin the back half of the Canada West men's hockey schedule. Game times are 7 and 3 pm, respectively. Click here to get tickets. 

The Herd currently sit in the sixth and final playoff spot, six points ahead of the Cougars, who are in eighth. A sweep would help further the distance between the two sides, while Manitoba also won the season series against seventh-place MacEwan, who are two points behind UM. 

First-year netminder Ross Hawryluk has been outstanding this season, including against the Cougars in '22. The conference leader in saves, with 525, made a combined 71 stops the last time the two teams faced, a sweep for Manitoba on the road in mid October. Six different players scored in Manitoba's 2-1 and 4-3 wins over the U of R, including offensively gifted blue-liner Chase Hartje, whose five goals are third amongst defencemen. 

If the Cougars want to have success, they're going to need to shut down the Herd's top line, which has been unstoppable all season. Right winger Brett Davis -- who will head to the US on Sunday to compete in the FISU World University Games -- and centre Devon Skoleski are third and eighth in conference scoring, respectively, with 26 and 21 points. The duo, who've known each other since they were 15, are complemented by Hayden Ostir, who has five points in his last six games since being moved up to the top line. 

The Cougars have been led offensively by defencemen Tyler Heidt and Brennan Riddle, who've combined for 31 points. Regina's top six have been solid as well, and they recently picked up 6'5", 210-pound forward Logan Barlage, who had 170 points in nearly 300 WHL games. Look for Bisons captain Geordie Keane and the rest of the Herd's checking line to get the body on Barlage and company early and often.