Women's Hockey | 1/31/2017 12:40:00 PM

FRIDAY: vs. UBC, 7 p.m., The Co-operators Centre
SATURDAY: vs. UBC, 7 p.m., The Co-operators Centre

The University of Regina women's hockey team will finish the home portion of its Canada West regular season schedule this weekend with a pair of evening contests against the No. 1-ranked UBC Thunderbirds.

The Cougars (10-10-3-1) are coming off a home-and-home split against Saskatchewan, with each team taking a win in the other's home rink. The Huskies won 2-1 on Friday night before the Cougars bounced back for a 1-0 win on Saturday. Lilla Carpenter-Boesch scored the winner in the rematch while Jane Kish posted her third shutout of the season.

Regina will be without the trio of Kylie Gavelin, Jaycee Magwood and Alexis Larson for the second-consecutive weekend, as the U of R's two leading scorers and team captain will finish up competition at the FISU Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan on the weekend. The Thunderbirds will be missing their third-leading scorer, as fifth-year defenceman Kelly Murray is also a part of Team Canada.

The top Cougar scorers who will suit up this weekend are Kylee Kupper (7G, 7A), Bailey Braden (5G, 7A), Emma Waldenberger (pictured)(5G, 7A) and Tamara McVannel (1G, 9A).

Morgan Baker made the start in goal against the Huskies on Friday night, stopping 25 shots in the overtime loss. Kish got the nod on Saturday and turned aside all 29 Huskie efforts on goal. Baker has four wins on the season with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Kish has posted nine wins with marks of 2.27 and .920.

UBC (17-3-3-1) is coming off a sweep of the Lethbridge Pronghorns, shutting out the visitors 1-0 and 3-0 in the two games. Nicole Saxvik is in third place in the conference scoring race with 12 goals and 11 assists in 24 games played. Cassandra Vilgrain is right behind her with 22 points in 20 games.

Rookie netminder Tory Micklash has earned eight wins in nine appearances, posting a goals-against average of 1.43 and a .918 save percentage. Amelia Boughn has 12 wins in her 15 starts and has hit marks if 1.73 and .920.

The Thunderbirds swept the Cougars back in November, taking 4-1 and 3-2 wins as a part of their 15-game winning streak. Gavelin and Magwood each had a goal during that weekend set in Vancouver.