The University of Regina's men's hockey team will be looking to gain some ground in the Canada West standings this weekend as the Cougars host Lethbridge on Friday and Saturday night at the Sherwood Ice Sports Centre.

Regina is off to a 2-6-0 start this season and currently sits in seventh place in the conference, while Lethbridge is tied for fourth place with a 3-4-1 record. The Cougars can pull ahead of the Pronghorns in the standings with a two-game sweep this weekend.

The Cougars are coming off of two losses to Calgary last weekend, as the Dinos took 5-2 and 2-1 victories over Regina. Ryan Sawka, Carter Smith, and Dan Bohemier scored for the Cougars, while Brant Hilton was in net for both games. Smith, a first-year forward who played for the Red Deer Rebels last season, leads the Cougars in both goals (3) and points (4) so far. Four Cougars are tied for second on the team with three points, including second-year defenceman Dylan Chapman.

Lethbridge is also coming off of a pair of losses last weekend, as the Pronghorns were thumped 7-3 and 9-2 by the Saskatchewan Huskies in Saskatoon. With ten goals in his first eight games, fourth-year forward Andrew Courtney is scoring at a torrid pace this year for Lethbridge. Dustin Moore has been equally impressive for the Pronghorns, registering 11 points in just five games. Scott Bowles has started all of Lethbridge's games so far, sporting a 4.14 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage.

The Cougars have been dominant at home against Lethbridge in recent years, winning 13 of 16 games against the Pronghorns in Regina dating back to the 2001-02 season. Overall, Regina has enjoyed a 52-37-7 record against Lethbridge since joining Canada West for the 1985-86 season.

Both of this weekend's games will face off at 7 p.m. The Cougars will be back in action next Friday and Saturday against the Manitoba Bisons at the Communiskate Rink in Emerald Park.