LETHBRIDGE – With four games to play in the Canada West schedule, the scenario is simple for the Lethbridge Pronghorn men's hockey team this weekend versus the UBC Thunderbirds, earn four points or be eliminated from the playoff picture.
 
The Pronghorns play host to the Thunderbirds at Nicholas Sheran Arena, puck drop is slated for 7:00 pm Friday and 1:00 pm Saturday afternoon. Both games will be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv, presented by Co-op.
 
Earlier this season, the T-Birds handed the Pronghorns back-to-back losses in Vancouver.
 
A look at the teams:
 
Despite seeing their losing skid hit eight games last week, the Pronghorns (5-16-2) picked up two points in pair of overtime/shootout losses to the fourth place Mount Royal Cougars. The two points proved vital as they are six points back of the Regina Cougars for the final playoff spot.
 
Regina closes out the season facing the conference's top two teams in the Alberta Golden Bears and provincial rival Saskatchewan Huskies.
 
A pair of freshman have been bright spots for the Pronghorns this season offensively. Michael Clarke is tied for the team lead in scoring with second-year forward Landon Gross with seven goals and nine assists, while fellow first-year forward Luke Coleman is tied for the lead in goals for freshman with nine.
 
The Thunderbirds (6-13-5) are also in a fight for their playoff lives, sitting one spot ahead of the Pronghorns and only two points behind Regina.
 
After snapping an eight game losing streak two weeks ago with a pair of wins over Manitoba, the T-Birds were swept by Saskatchewan last weekend in Saskatoon. UBC will host the Mount Royal Cougars during the final weekend of the season.
 
Tyler Sandu and Austin Vetterl lead the Thunderbirds offensively with 17 points each. Sandu leads UBC in goals with nine and Vetterl sits with eight goals and nine assists.
 
Up Next
 
The Pronghorns will close out the regular season with a home-and-home series with the Calgary Dinos, starting next Friday night in Calgary.
 
 
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