Eight points out of the final playoff spot with eight games to play, the Manitoba Bisons are in must-win mode as they host the No. 2 nationally ranked, second place (35 points) Calgary Dinos for games on Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 3 pm at Wayne Fleming Arena (click here for tickets).

Regina (ten points) and MacEwan (13 points) are both ahead of Manitoba (five points), in seventh, and sixth (final playoff spot), respectively, entering play. The Bisons are currently tied for eighth, with Trinity Western. They play the Spartans next week on the road, and the Griffins at home the week after, and are hoping to generate momentum going into the two matchups that are sure to decide their playoff fate. 

The Dinos swept Manitoba in two games in the first half of the season, however the opening contest was a tight 2-1 result, with the Herd opening the scoring thanks to Cody Behun's first goal of the year. Calgary stormed back with the game-winner just under halfway through the third period on defenceman Connor Horning's first goal of the year. He added a second the following night and had three points in the two game-series in November.

Bisons goalie Ross Hawryluk made a career-high 52 saves in the loss, and had 78 saves over the two-game series. The Herd have been rolling two goalies since mid November, with Hawryluk and rookie Kolby Thornton combining for 742 saves, led by Thornton's 468. The latter's total is second in CanWest, and 135 away from from the top-15 in a season (since 2000-01). 

Offensively, captain Jonny Hooker is second in the conference with seven power play goals. His ten goals are also the ninth-most in a season for a Bison dating back to 2000-01, and his 16 points leads the team. He and defenceman Chase Hartje have combined for 30 points, with the latter's total of 14 tied for the sixth-most in a season by a Bison dating back to 2008-09. Rookie Josh Paulhus has added three goals, which ranks second on the team, eighth overall in Canada West.