LETHBRIDGE – Coming off an undefeated non-conference schedule, the Lethbridge Pronghorn women's hockey team launches the new Canada West season with a strong test, hosting the Manitoba Bisons for a pair of games this weekend.
 
The Pronghorns and Bisons are slated to clash at Nicholas Sheran Arena Friday night at 7:00 pm and Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm. Catch both games on pay per view on www.canadawest.tv, presented by CO-OP.
 
A look the teams:
 
Led by new head coach Doug Paisley, the Pronghorns went a perfect 5-0 during preseason, which in included a pair of shutout wins over the Calgary Dinos and a 3-1 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies in the final tune-up before the start of the regular season.
 
A strong nucleus of veterans return to lead the Pronghorns, highlighted by Canada West second –team all-star Alicia Anderson.  Anderson enters her final season in the Pronghorns crease as the backbone of the program and will look to build on a season that put up a 2.08 goals against-average and a 0.942 save percentage to go along with five shutouts.
 
Offensively, four of the five top scorers from last year's team return with Ali Borrow and Tricia Van Vaerenbergh finishing with 11 and 10 points respectively last year. Borrow led the team with seven goals a year ago.
 
Only two years removed from the program's first national title, the Manitoba Bisons are still one of the teams to beat in the conference.
 
After finishing second during the regular season last year, the Bisons lost to the Alberta Pandas in the Canada West final but earned a berth to the national championship tournament as the Canada West finalist - losing to the eventual Champion Guelph Gryphons, 3-2 in the quarter-finals.
 
The Bisons graduated nine seniors from last year's team and will be significantly younger this season.  Highlighting the graduating class is Canada West First Team All-Stars Erica Rieder and Lauryn Keen.
 
Starting goaltender Lauren Taraschuk has also left the program. She appeared in 24 of 28 conference games last year, leading Canada West in wins with 17.
 
Up Next:
 
The Pronghorns will head out on the road next weekend, traveling to Regina to take on the Regina Cougars.