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The University of Regina's women's hockey team hosts the Saskatchewan Huskies on Friday night at The Co-operators Centre in the first leg of a weekend home-and-home series. Game time is 7 p.m. on Friday, with the two teams scheduled to finish off the home-and-home in Saskatoon on Saturday.

The Cougars come into the weekend riding a three-game winning streak that started two weekends ago with an overtime win on the road over No. 1-ranked and previously unbeaten Calgary and continued last weekend with a pair of road victories over conference newcomer Mount Royal. The Cougars have a 5-3-0 record through the first eight games of the Canada West schedule and enter Friday's game in third place in the conference standings.

After collecting two points in the team's first five games of the season, second-year forward Stephanie Sawchuk has exploded for seven points over the last three games. She scored the game-winning goal in both of the wins over Mount Royal last weekend, and is tied with Rianne Wight for the team lead with nine points.

The Cougars continue to roll with the netminding tandem of Jennifer Schmidt and Toni Ross, as both goalies have gotten a start in each of the team's four weekends of the conference schedule. Ross has posted ridiculous numbers this season, as the Red Deer College transfer in her second season of CIS eligibility ranks among the conference's leaders with a 1.37 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage.

Saskatchewan was picked to finish fourth in the Canada West preseason coaches' poll, but has just one win through eight games of the conference schedule. The Huskies (1-5-2) have been involved in a huge number of close contests so far, as five of their seven losses have been one-goal setbacks.

Fifth-year forward Cara Wooster leads the Huskies and ranks fourth in Canada West with 11 points so far this season, while Danny Stone and Cami Wooster have both collected eight points and second-year defenceman Hanna McGillivray leads the team's blueliners with four points.

Cassidy Hendricks and Justine DeNure have split Saskatchewan's netminding duties this season, though Hendricks has started the last three games for the Huskies.

NOTES: Friday will mark the 60th Canada West game between the two provincial rivals ... the Cougars have a 35-22-2 all-time edge over Saskatchewan in conference games.