VANCOUVER - After snapping its four game losing streak last weekend, the UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team will look to inch closer to a .500 record with a two-game home series against the Mount Royal Cougars this weekend. The Thunderbirds enter the weekend with a 2-5-1 record while the Cougars sit at 3-5-0.
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Both teams are coming off weekend splits with the Thunderbirds taking one of two from the Lethbridge Pronghorns while Mount Royal finished with a win and a loss against the Regina Cougars. The Cougars have a rough road ahead having played the majority of its game at home this season with their remaining 13 out of 21 games to be played on the road.
The Thunderbirds have had a tough schedule so far this season, conceding a combined four losses to both Alberta and Calgary, the first and third-ranked teams in the CIS, respectively. The Golden Bears and Dinos have both won all eight of the regular season games, putting a sizeable distance between themselves and the rest of the Canada West.
This weekend marks the final two games of UBC's four-game home stint, as the Thunderbirds will hit the road for six of their next eightoutings. In a stretch where UBC will predominantly play teams with a losing record, every win is that much more crucial. Only three points separate third through sixth place in the Canada West leauge standings.
UBC enter the weekend in a tie for sixth while Mount Royal sits a point ahead in fifth. The Thunderbirds put up seven goals in their previous game, only the third time this season the team has managed more than four goals in a night.
The Thunderbirds will hope to shut down the Cougars offence this weekend. UBC has conceded the second-most goals of any Canada West team.
This weekend's tilt against the Cougars marks the first meeting between the two schools this season. UBC won the season series last year by a 3-1 count.
Cole Wilson and rookie
Anthony Bardaro lead the 'Birds in scoring with nine points a piece while Matthew Brown is the Cougars top scorer with eight points on the campaign. UBC's
Joe Antilla looks to continue his hot streak after his first career CIS hat trick last Saturday, his first markers of the season.
Matt Hewitt and
Steven Stanford have been splitting the starts this season for the 'Birds while Dalyn Flette has seen the majority of the action for the Cougars.
Game one is Friday night at 7 p.m. while Saturday's afternoon tilt is set for 2 p.m. Both games will be held at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sport Centre.
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