LETHBRIDGE – Looking to break out of a losing streak, the Lethbridge Pronghorn men's hockey team heads west to close out the first semester of Canada West play, traveling to Vancouver to take on the UBC Thunderbirds.
 
The Pronghorns and T-Birds will square off at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Catch all the action on www.canadawest.tv.
 
A look at the teams:
 
Stuck in a four-game losing streak (4-9-1) the Pronghorns hold the final playoff spot in Canada West but are only four points ahead of the Regina Cougars and Manitoba Bisons. Last weekend, the Pronghorns were swept by Mount Royal in a home-and-home series.
 
Statistically, the Pronghorns have scored the second fewest goals in the conference with 32 and have allowed the third most against with 52.
 
UBC (9-5-0) is trending in the other direction, entering the weekend on a four game winning streak, having swept the bottom two teams in the conference the last two weekend. UBC beat Regina last weekend 2-1 and 5-3.
 
Through the first half of the season UBC sits in the middle of the pack in both goals for and goals against. The T-Birds are ranked fifth with 41 goals for and 47 goals against.
 
UBC swept the Pronghorns during the Canada West season opening weekend in Lethbridge.
 
Players to watch:
 
Since returning for injury, Torrin White has been a consistent point producer. In the six games since he returned he has registered at least one point in each game and sits with five goals and three assists.
 
Justin Valentino leads the Pronghorns in scoring this season with two goals and nine assists. He had a five game point streak snapped last Saturday.
 
Maxwell James and Tyler Sandhu lead the Thunderbirds in scoring with 12 points each with James leading UBC in goals with seven and Sandhu leading in assists with nine.
 
Carter Popoff sits one point back with five goals and six assists.
 
Up Next:
 
The Pronghorns will see action during the semester break, traveling to Fredericton to face UNB and Moncton in non-conference games. The Pronghorns will return to conference play the first weekend of January, hosting the first place Saskatchewan Huskies.