The University of British Columbia Athletics

VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team is back in action this weekend as the team returns home to faceoff against the Manitoba Bisons. UBC is currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak but are playing .500 hockey on home ice.
 
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The Thunderbirds sit two points back of Manitoba, good for seventh in the Canada West after dropping both away games against the Saskatchewan Huskies last weekend. The Thunderbirds have had better luck on home ice with a record of 3-3 and enter the weekend with a 3-8-1 record on the season.

UBC has managed just six goals over the team's previous four games, which has resulted in a three-game losing skid.
 
Cole Wilson leads the T-Birds with six goals and seven assists and sits in a tie for 10th in the Canada West scoring race. Anthony Bardaro is currently in the midst of a good season as well, with 12 points on the campaign.
 
Backstopping the Thunderbirds have been Matt Hewitt and Steven Stanford, who have split the workload so far this season. Hewitt got the start in the first of two games last weekend but was pulled in favour of Stanford, who got the start on Saturday to close out the weekend series. Hewitt has a slight edge in both goals-against average and save percentage, at 3.53 GAA and .886, respectively.
 
After losing five straight earlier in the month, the Manitoba Bisons are on a bit of a tear having won their two straight in dominating fashion against the Lethbridge Pronghorns, scoring 10 goals over that span while conceding none. The Bisons shutout streak currently sits at 121 minutes, dating back to November 9. Manitoba currently sits in a tie for fifth in the Canada West with a record of 4-7-1.
 
After back-to-back shutout performances last weekend, Joe Caligiuri was selected as the Canada West male First Star of the Week; the first time a Bison has won conference weekly honours this year. Caligiuri is tied for second in shutouts (two) and sixth in the conference with a .918 save percentage.
 
Manitoba's leading scorer is Aaron Lewadniuk with 12 points on the 2013 season. Lewadniuk, a former WHL player for the Brandon Wheat Kings, is in his first full season with the Bisons after red-shirting last year and opting to play in the East Coast Hockey League.
 
Puck drop on Friday is set for 7 p.m. at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbirds Sports Centre. Saturday's game will be played next door at Father David Bauer Arena at 7 p.m.

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