The University of Regina's women's hockey team plays its final home games before the Christmas break this weekend, as the Cougars will host the Lethbridge Pronghorns on Friday and Saturday night at The Co-Operators Centre.

The Cougars (4-5-1) are looking to put an end to a four-game slide this weekend, as they've lost to Manitoba and Alberta two times each in the previous two weekends and have seen their Canada West record drop a shade under the .500 mark after opening the season with a 4-1-1 record.

Despite the recent woes, the Cougars sit just four points back of the Bisons and the Pandas, who are tied for third place with identical 6-3-1 records.

The team's top line has been nothing short of dynamite this season, as the trio of Rianne Wight, Paige Wheeler, and Kelcie McCutcheon have scored 16 of the team's 22 goals this season. Wight alone has scored 10 times already this season, which ties her with Saskatchewan's Breanne George for tops in Canada West.

Wight has added two assists for 12 points on the season, while Wheeler has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) and McCutcheon has 10 (two goals, eight assists).

Kendra Finch and Gina Campbell have three goals each for the Cougars, while Nicole Hollingshead leads the team's blueliners with three assists. Fourth-year goalie Lisa Urban, who has played in all but two periods for the Cougars this season, will get the call between the pipes again this weekend. Urban ranks second on the U of R's all-time list with 22 career Canada West victories.

Lethbridge (2-7-1) comes into the weekend in the Canada West basement with five points on the season, but are riding a two-game winning streak after a home sweep over UBC. Shelby Ballendine and Jenna-Marie Durnin both had three goals in the two wins over the Thunderbirds, while Crystal Patterson made 33 saves for the Pronghorns in both victories.

Ballendine leads Lethbridge in goals (6) and points (10) this year, while Durnin and Brittney Kaye are tied for second on the team with five points. Kaye's five points have come in just three games, as the third-year forward missed seven contests after being injured on Oct. 8 at Saskatchewan.

Following this weekend, the Cougars will finish the first half of the schedule with a pair of road games against the Calgary Dinos. The team will return to action on Jan. 7 on the road at Saskatchewan before returning home for a game against the Huskies at The Co-Operators Centre the following night.