GAME INFORMATION
Date: Friday, Oct. 8 & Saturday, Oct. 9
Time: 7 p.m. & 5 p.m.
Location: Saskatoon, Sask.
Venue: Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park
Watch: Canadawest.tv
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's soccer team returns to the pitch in a pivotal pair of clashes against the Calgary Dinos.
Saskatchewan enters the weekend with a 3-1-0 record following a weekend split in Edmonton against the MacEwan Griffins. After suffering a setback on Saturday afternoon, the Huskies bounced back in a big way. They recorded a 4-0 win on Sunday, with Zach Edwards leading the way with the brace.
Their four-goal win helped Saskatchewan enter a tie for first in the conference with 11 goals, alongside UNBC and Trinity Western, who each reached the mark in eight matches as opposed to the Huskies four.
The Huskies have been receiving production from up-and-down the lineup to begin the season, which includes Edwards. The fourth-year Centennial Collegiate graduate, who has been a steady presence along with the Saskatchewan backline since joining the program in 2017, recorded his third and fourth career goals in the green-and-white.
While Edwards will take the offensive production, this weekend he will likely be back to his old tricks on the defending side of the pitch as he attempts to shut down a Calgary side that scored six goals over the course of last weekend.
At the forefront of the Dinos attack this season has been Derek Brust. Brust sits in a tie for second-place in the conference in points this season with two goals and two assists through four matches, while fellow attacking player Kundai Dziwa has also been a threat, who is tied for fifth in the conference with 11 shots through four matches.
With only six regular-season games remaining for Saskatchewan and Calgary, this weekend figures to have a significant effect on how the playoff picture shapes up with each of the teams near the top of the table in the central division.
Saskatchewan currently leads the division through four matches, as they chase after their fourth-consecutive postseason appearance. However, the Alberta Golden Bears and the Dinos each enter the weekend only one-point behind the Huskies, meaning a pair of victories on home turf would be monumental for the green and white.
Success has been had in recent years against Calgary, with Saskatchewan winning three of their last four matches against the program, with their last loss in Saskatoon coming back on Sept. 22, 2013 - more than 2,937 days ago. That's a statistic the Huskies will be looking to extend this weekend.
