Lethbridge – Coming off a conference wide bye the Lethbridge Pronghorn women's hockey team returns to action hosting the defending U SPORTS Champion and second ranked Alberta Pandas.
 
The Pronghorns and Pandas will hit the ice at Nicholas Sheran Friday night at 7:00pm and Saturday afternoon 3:00pm. Both games will also be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv.
 
"Our team is very excited to host the National Champions this weekend for two games," said Pronghorns head coach Michelle Janus.  "It's always a great challenge to play a team who competes fast and hard. Alberta seems to have a strong mix of talent and skill and it will take a full 60 minutes of focus and hard work from our team to compete with them."
 
"Our team has been working well together and continuing to demonstrate good habits on and off the puck. I was pleased with the chances our lines and power play units saw in our last few games against UBC, we just need to start capitalizing on those chances and find the back of the net."
 
Last season, the Pandas won all four games against the Pronghorns, but this weekend is the first meeting between the two teams this season.
 
A look at the teams
 
In their last action, the Pronghorns (3-5-0-0) lost two close games to the top ranked UBC Thunderbirds, dropping 2-1 and 1-0 decisions in Vancouver.
 
Through eight games this season, the Pronghorns have scored the second fewest goals in Canada West with nine, but have only allowed 12 goals against, which is tied for the lowest in the conference.
 
The Pronghorns penalty killing is tops in Canada West, only allowing two goals against in 36 times shorthanded. On the other hand, the Pronghorns power play is ranked last in the conference, operating at only 3.0%.
 
Thus far, the 2016 U SPORTS Champion Pandas (5-1-0-2) sit in a tie for second in Canada West with the Saskatchewan Huskies and enter the weekend winners of three of their last four games.
 
Statistically, the Pandas have scored the second most goals (20) and allowed the second fewest against with 13. Like the Pronghorns, the Pandas specialty teams are at two ends of the spectrum. The Pandas hold the second ranked power play (19.4%) but are ranked last in penalty killing, killing off only 75% of their penalties.
 
Players to watch:
 
Alicia Anderson continues to lead the majority of statistical categories for goaltenders in Canada West. She is ranked first in save percentage (0.958), total saves (285) and minutes played (465:53). She is tied for second in shutouts with one and sits seventh in goals against-average (1.55).
 
Jodi Gentile leads the Pronghorns in points with four, while freshman Alli Borrow and Delaney Duchek are tied for the team lead in goals with two.
 
The Pandas are led offensively by the trio of Amy Boucher, Deanna Morin and Autumn MacDougall. All have six points, but Boucher leads the team with five goals and MacDougall has four assists to go along with two goals. Morin has three goals and three assists.
 
In the crease, Dayna Owen has played in six of the Pandas eight games and holds a 1.71 goals against-average and a 0.921 save percentage.
 
Next Up: The Pronghorns will head out on the road next weekend, traveling to Winnipeg to face the Manitoba Bisons. The next home weekend for the Pronghorns is November 24^th and 25^th when they host the Regina Cougars.