LETHBRIDGE – Facing a nationally ranked opponent for the second weekend in a row, the Lethbridge Pronghorn women's hockey team plays host to the U SPORTS third ranked Alberta Pandas in the second last weekend of the Canada West regular season.
 
The Pronghorns and Pandas will square off at Nicholas Sheran Arena Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://www.uleth.ca/tickets. Both games will also be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv.
 
A look at the teams
 
With four games to play in the conference schedule, the Pronghorns (6-13-1-4) trail the Mount Royal Cougars and Regina Cougars by four points for the final two playoff spots in Canada West. Mount Royal holds one game in hand on both teams and will face the Pronghorns in a home-and-home series next weekend to wrap up the regular season.
 
Last Saturday, the Pronghorns took the defending U SPORTS Champion to a shootout before losing 2-1.
 
While the Pandas (15-5-4-0) are securely placed in the Canada West playoffs, they are in a battle with the Manitoba Bisons for the top seed in Canada West and enter the weekend tied with the Bisons with 53 points.
 
This season, the Pandas have been a defensive juggernaut, allowing only 21 goals against in 24 games, tops in Canada West. Offensively the Pandas are no slouch as well, ranked second with 61 goals. Conversely, the Pronghorns struggle offensively, only scoring 29 goals, which is the second fewest in Canada West.
 
Players to watch
 
With two points each last weekend, Ali Borrow and Tricia Van Vaerenbergh remain tied for the team's scoring lead at 10 points. Both have six goals and four assists. Six of Borrows points have come on the power play.
 
In the crease, Alicia Anderson has made 14 straight starts in the Pronghorn goal and continues to lead the conference in minutes played (1331) and total saves (748). She sits tied for second in shutouts with five and holds a 1.89 goals-against average.
 
For the Pandas, the offensive production has been very top heavy, having three of the four top scorers in Canada West but no other Panda players crack the top 20 in Canada West scoring.
 
Alex Poznikoff and Autumn MacDougall are tied for the scoring lead with 29 points and have both scored a conference leading 12 goals to go along with 17 assists.
 
Kennedy Ganser is fourth in conference scoring with 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists.
 
Up Next
 
The Pronghorns will wrap up the regular season next weekend with a home-and-home series with the Mount Royal Cougars, starting Friday night at Nicholas Sheran Arena.