Game Information
 
Date: Friday, Feb. 8 & Saturday, Feb. 9
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Saskatoon, SK 
Venue: Merlis Belsher Place 
Get in the Action: Tickets
Watch Live: Canadawest.tv

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SASKATOON – After a series split, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's hockey team will return home to conclude their regular season when they welcome the Manitoba Bisons to the Bridge City for the first time this season.
 
The Huskies enter the matchup on a six-game winning streak and have been dominant on home-ice this season, with a 10-1-0 record in their new arena. Saskatchewan will look to continue their winning ways this weekend, as they continue on their quest towards a return to the U SPORTS National Championships.
 
Manitoba is looking to chase down the Alberta Pandas for the top seed in the Canada West, which would ensure home-ice throughout the entirety of the postseason. The Bisons have already clinched at least the number two seed in the conference, which locks up a first-round bye and opportunity to host semi-final action.
 
The Huskies split their series earlier this season in Winnipeg against the Bisons. After a 2-1 loss on Friday, they bounced back with a 3-2 win on Saturday, after Emily Upgang, Kayla Kirwan and Leah Bohlken all found the back of the net. Manitoba defeated Saskatchewan two-to-one in a best-of-three series in the 2017-18 Canada West Championship.
 
5 Things
 
1: Saskatchewan is 9-2-1 at home this season and will return to Merlis Belsher Place following a four-game road swing.
 
2: The Huskies are 11-1-0-0 when outshooting opponents this season.
 
3: The Bisons are 4-1-1 on the road against the Huskies over the last five years.
 
4: 2017-2018 Canada West Player of the Year Jessica Vance will take on her former team this weekend. Vance was a member of the Bisons for one season in 2016-17.
 
5: Shyan Elias registered the first multi-goal game of her U SPORTS career on the weekend with two goals in the win over the Cougars, earning her the Blue Cross Huskies Athlete of the Week.

By the Numbers

1 – Fourth-year forward Courtney Cormack found the back of the net for the first time this season on Friday night with the game's opening goal.
 
6 – Jessica Vance is tied for first in the Canada West in shutouts with six this season.
 
94.7% – The Huskies have only allowed two powerplay goals at home this season, killing off 94.7% of penalties.
 
148:45 – Vance has not allowed a goal on home ice in 148:45 consecutive minutes of action, dating back to Friday, Jan. 11 against the Regina Cougars.
 
Scouting the Bisons
 
The defending Canada West and U SPORTS national champions have had another strong season and enter the weekend with a 15-4-4-3 record.
 
Lauryn Keen is tied for third in the Canada West this season with 25 points. Keen, who is leading the Bisons in points, has been lethal on the powerplay as she is tied for first in the conference with five goals on the man-advantage this season.
 
Erica Rieder is the Canada West leader in points among defenseman with 17 this season. Rieder has emerged over the second half of the season as a playmaker on the Bisons blueline, as the fifth year has eight points in her last eight games.
 
2017-18 Canada West Rookie of the Year Lauren Taraschuk has appeared in 23 games between the pipes for Manitoba. Taraschuk sports a 16-4-2-1 record, 1.56 GAA and 0.932 SV%.