Lethbridge – The Lethbridge Pronghorn men’s hockey team (0-7-1 CW) returns to action after a bye week still in search of their first win of the season and the task at hand doesn’t get any easier, traveling to Winnipeg to face the surging Manitoba Bisons (4-3-1 CW).
 
It has been a rocky first month for the young Pronghorn squad, earning only a single point through their first eight games and if they are to challenge for a post-season position they will need to right the ship very quickly.
 
The ‘Horns ranked last in the conference in both goals for and against with 15 goals for and 41 against respectively. Even though they dropped out of the top spot in penalty killing in the conference, it has still been a bright spot for the team and have only surrendered five goals in 33 times shorthanded.
 
In the crease, Dylan Tait and Damien Ketlo have spilt the duties but head coach Greg Gatto would like one of them to take the ball and run with it. Their numbers are almost identical and will have to improve if the ‘Horns are going to turn this season around.
 
Offensively has been equally poor through 8 games, averaging less than two goals a night, putting even more pressure on the ‘Horns goaltending tandem. First-year Pronghorn Chase Schaber continues to lead the team in scoring and has been involved in more than half of the teams’ goals thus far. Schaber had three goals and nine assists.
 
After starting the season 1-3-0 the Bisons have played well of late, going 3-0-1 in their last four games including taking three of four points from the Calgary Dinos in their last action. The Bisons won 4-1 in the series opener and then lost in a shootout the next night to earn a single point.
 
Dead even in goals for and against with 21, the Bisons have been one of the stingiest teams of late, only giving up six goals in the last four games. Goaltender Jesse Deckert, who spent part of one season with the Pronghorns, has been a big part of the team’s success. He has moved into second place in goals-against-average in Canada West with a 2.24 GAA and also ranks second in save percentage as well with .922%.
 
Offensively the Bisons rank second last in the conference in goals but CIS second team All-Canadian Blair Macaulay leads the Bisons in scoring with three goals and five assists.
 
Puck drop is scheduled for both Friday and Saturday night at  7:00pm CST and live stats can be found at:
http://www.leaguestat.com/canadawest/mens/en/stats/index.php?season_id=22
 
The ‘Horns will return to home ice next Friday night in the front half of a home-and-home series with the Mount Royal Cougars.