The University of Regina's women's hockey team opens up the 2011-12 Canada West schedule this weekend with a home-and-home against provincial rival Saskatchewan.

The two teams will meet in Saskatoon on Friday night before returning to Regina for the Cougars' home opener on Saturday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on both nights.

Highlighting the list of returning Cougars is fourth-year forward Rianne Wight, who was named a Canada West all-star last season after exploding offensively to finish second in the conference with 16 goals. Also back is fourth-year forward Paige Wheeler, who led the Cougars and tied for fourth in Canada West last season with 26 points. Gina Campbell is expected to play alongside Wight and Wheeler on the team's top line this season, replacing the graduated Kelcie McCutcheon.

In net, the Cougars will have the services of workhorse goaltender Lisa Urban for one last season. Urban, who's already the school's all-time leader in minutes played, is just four wins away from overtaking Andrea Charanduk as the U of R's career leader in that category as well. Urban will be backed up by Jennifer Schmidt, a first-year goalie from High River, Alta.

The Cougars' only other fifth-year play is defenseman Stefanie Banilevic, who leads a young group of blueliners that has seven of its nine players in their first two years of eligibility. The team's other veteran defenseman is Hillary Lerat, who enters her fourth year with the U of R. Regina head coach Sarah Hodges expects Carleen Meszaros – a 5'6” defenceman hailing from St. Benedict that came to the Cougars from the Prince Albert A&W Bears – to be able to step in immediately and make in impact in her first season of eligibility.

Saskatchewan finished in fourth place in the Canada West standings last year with a 15-8-1 record. The Huskies' roster features no less than seven fifth-year players, including two-time All-Canadian Breanne George, team captain Kristin Bews, and Canada West all-star (and former Cougar) Julie Paetsch. Cara Wooster led all Canada West players with 26 assists last season and tied Calgary's Hayley Wickenheiser for the conference lead with 40 points, while George had 15 goals and 15 assists and finished third in Canada West with 30 points.

NOTES: Entering the weekend, the Cougars hold a 35-18-2 all-time advantage in the 55 conference games played between the two teams ... Regina and Saskatchewan split their four meetings last year, with the Cougars winning 4-2 and 3-2 on Oct. 15 and 16 and Saskatchewan replying with 2-1 and 7-1 wins on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8.