Lethbridge – With the page turned into a new year, the men’s hockey team (3-10-2 CW, 3-15-3 overall) will also look to turn the page on a disappointing first half of the season and start fresh in 2012 hosting the Canada West conference leading and CIS fourth ranked Saskatchewan Huskies.
 
It will be a unique way to kick of the new year to say the least as prior to the scheduled contest between the ‘Horns and Huskies, the two teams must first play the final period of their suspended game from October 1^st after the game had to be halted due to a malfunction with the ice-resurfacing machine.
 
The third period will be started with the Huskies leading 3-0 and the teams playing four-on-four.
 
Please note that the start of Friday night’s action will begin at 6:40pm with the final period from the suspended game, followed by a brief warm-up for players who were not in the line-up for the October 1^st game, and then a flood prior to the start of the regular scheduled game.
 
The Huskies opened the season with a 5-2 win over the ‘Horns before the suspended game, but three weeks later the ‘Horns went into Saskatoon and took three of four points from the Huskies.
 
Saturday night’s game will start at the regular scheduled time of 7:00pm. Both nights’ action can be viewed at www.canadawest.tv , the home off all Canada West webcasts.
 
Horns within striking distance
Despite the disappointing first half of the season, the ‘Horns are only two points out of the final playoff spot. The ‘Horns are two points behind the Regina Cougars and will travel to Regina during the first week of February.
 
Offensively the Horns have struggled all season, scoring a conference low 34 goals, and only have one player in the top 20 scoring. Captain Dustin Moore is eighth on the Canada West’s scoring list with 8 goals and 7 assists. Dan Iwanski and Taylor Gal are the only other two ‘Horns to reach double digitis in points thus far with 11 and 10 points respectively.
 
If the ‘Horns are going to make a move up the standings and return to the post-season, their special-teams play will need to improve. The power play was the second worst in Canada West through the first semester, operating at only 12.3%, and they had the worst penalty killing unit at 74.7%.
 
Top Dogs
The conference’s top team, the Huskies, entered the break on a four game winning streak and had only lost once in regulation in their last 10 games. Through the first half, the Huskies were also the top offensive team scoring a conference high 61 times and sport the Canada West’s three top scorers.
 
Kyle Bortis leads the conference in scoring with 13 goals and 15 assists, while defenseman Derek Hulak is second with 27 points, including a conference leading 22 assists. Captain Kyle Ross rounds out the top three with 19 points.
The Huskies power play was deadly in the opening half of the season, operating at a conference best 23.1% and have accounted for nearly a quarter of the team’s offensive output.
 
In the crease, Ryan Holfeld and David Reekie have split the season right down the middle, with both goaltenders making eight appearances. The Huskie tandem has surrendered the second fewest goals in Canada West and Holfled holds the second best goals-against-average in the conference at 1.90. Reekie has a GAA of 2.69.

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