For the second consecutive weekend, the University of Regina's men's hockey team is at home as the Cougars will host Canada West newcomer Mount Royal on Friday and Saturday night at The Co-operators Centre.

With eight points in their first six games of the conference schedule, the Cougars (4-2-0) enter the weekend tied for third place in the Canada West standings and are off to their best start since opening the 1994-95 season with a 4-1-1 record. They began the season with a home split against UBC, then swept Lethbridge on the road before last weekend's home split with No. 8-ranked Calgary.

The Cougars skated to a 2-0 victory over the Dinos last Friday night thank in large part to a 21-save shutout by Andrew Hayes and goals by Troy Hunter and James Friedel, but Calgary salvaged the weekend split with a 4-1 win on Saturday.

Hunter is off to a fine start for the Cougars, as the second-year forward leads the team and ranks third in the Canada West scoring race with 10 points. He's got four goals and six assists, while linemates Tyler Henry and Matt Strueby have both collected four goals and four assists for eight points through the team's first six games.

The Cougars have split the netminding duties evenly between Hayes and Lucas Gore this season, with both getting one start in each of the three weekends so far. Hayes has put up stellar numbers, as the second-year goalie has a 3-0 record, a 2.21 goals-against average, and leads Canada West with a sparkling. 930 save percentage.

Mount Royal enters the weekend with a 1-5-0 record through the first six games of their inaugural Canada West season, with the Cougars' lone win coming in a 2-1 home upset over then-No. 2 Alberta back on Oct. 13. Tyler Eskesen leads Mount Royal with three goals, while Matt Ius has a team-leading three assists despite missing both games against the Golden Bears and Nick Bell leads the team's blueliners with three points.

Mount Royal went with Justin Cote between the pipes in both games against Manitoba last weekend. Cote has started four of the team's six games this season and has a 3.27 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.

Mount Royal will have a home-and-home with Alberta next weekend, while Regina will have a weekend off before a home-and-home with Saskatchewan on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10.

NOTES: This weekend's games will mark the first ever Canada West meetings between the U of R and Mount Royal in men's hockey.