It was the week of the road warriors in Canada West Hockey as the visiting teams won four of six conference games, earning nine of a total 12 points on the weekend of Friday-Saturday, October 22nd-23rd.
The University of Alberta Golden Bears led road teams on the weekend, sweeping both games of its series against the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver, winning 5-1 and 5-3. The University of Saskatchewan Huskies earned three of four points from their provincial rivals, the University of Regina Cougars, with a 3-3 OT tie and a 4-1 win. In the third conference series played on the weekend, the University of Calgary Dinos outscored the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 12-1, winning 6-1 on the road at Lethbridge in the first game of a home-and-home series on Friday. Through the first weeks of conference play, road teams have a 9-5-4 (.611) record.
Calgary was the only team to win on home ice as the Dinos blanked Lethbridge 6-0 in the series finale at Father David Bauer Arena on Saturday.
The University of Manitoba Bisons had the bye in conference play on the weekend, but did play a non-conference game, defeating the NCAA's Bemidji State University Beavers 5-3 on Sunday afternoon in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. It was the Bisons first win in three games against NCAA opponents this season and extends Manitoba's undefeated streak to four games. The Bisons are 3-0-1 from October 9th to 24th.
With the two wins at UBC, Alberta extended its winning streak to four games (4-0-0; Oct. 15-23) and move maintained its four point lead over the second place Calgary Dinos, who are undefeated in conference play with a 2-0-2 record. The two victories also extended the Golden Bears undefeated streak in conference games played at UBC to 35 games. The Golden Bears are now 32-0-3 (.957) in regular season conference games at the Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre dating back to October 16, 1987. Alberta's last loss in conference play at UBC was a 5-4 OT decision.
Saskatchewan's three-point weekend moved the Huskies two points in front of idle Manitoba. The Huskies improved their conference record to 3-0-1 with the tie and win at Regina. They are two points in front of Manitoba (2-1-1) and three ahead of the Cougars 1-3-2).
Huskie head coach Dave Adolph earned his 300th career coaching victory with the 4-1 Saskatchewan win on Saturday. Now in his 16th season of CIS coaching, and in his 12th season with Saskatchewan, Adolph's career record is now 300-272-48 (.523). He is 197-187-40 (.512) in Canada West Hockey conference play.
Calgary's sweep of its home-and-home series with provincial rival Lethbridge, improved the Dinos record to 2-0-2 and moved them four points ahead of both the Pronghorns and UBC Thunderbirds in the Mountain Division standings.