Men's Hockey | 1/3/2017 2:29:00 PM

FRIDAY: at Manitoba, 7 p.m. CST, Wayne Fleming Arena
SATURDAY: at Manitoba, 1 p.m. CST, Wayne Fleming Arena

The University of Regina men's hockey team will open the 2017 calendar year on the road this weekend, as the Cougars travel east to face off against the Manitoba Bisons.

Manitoba sits in sixth place in the Canada West standings at 6-9-1. The Cougars are six points back of the Bisons, sporting a 3-12-1 record.

Rookie forward Tristan Frei is leading the Cougars in points, with five goals and seven assists to his credit. Captain Cody Fowlie is next among Regina skaters with 10 points, while J.J. Coleshaw has four goals and five assists.

Second-year netminder Andy Desautels (pictured) has seen the most playing time in net for the Cougars, playing in 12 games so far. He has been responsible for each of the Cougars' wins and has a goals-against average of 3.97 to go along with a .883 save percentage. Mitch Kilgore and Dawson MacAuley have also made multiple appearances in goal for Regina.

Jordan DePepe leads the Bisons attack with eight goals and six assists in just 11 games. Shaq Merasty has 12 points followed by Justin Augert and Remi Laurencelle who have each put up 11. Brett Stovin is also in double figures with two goals and eight assists.

Byron Spriggs has seen action in 11 games between the pipes for the Bisons, earning a 5-5-1 record. Spriggs has put up a goals-against average of 3.10 and has a .908 save percentage. Justin Paulic has played in five games and has posted numbers of 3.69 and .878.

The Cougars hosted the Bisons for their first home games of the 2016-17 season on Oct. 21 and 22, with Manitoba coming away with 5-1 and 6-3 victories.