GAME DATE: Friday February 20 vs. Saskatchewan
LOCATION: Flames Community Arenas â€" 7:00pm
 
GAME DATE: Saturday February 21 vs. Saskatchewan
LOCATION: Flames Community Arenas â€" 7:00pm
 
GAME DATE: Sunday February 22 vs. Saskatchewan *if necessary
LOCATION: Flames Community Arenas â€" 7:00pm

HEADLINES:
 

• The Cougars will host their first ever Canada West playoff series this weekend. It is their second trip to the post season. They lost 2-1 in round one to Manitoba last season.
• The Huskies are limping into the playoffs, losers of five straight games. However they have played the Cougars tight this year, beating them once and losing by just one goal on two occasions.
• Cody Cartier, Dalyn Flette and Tyler Fiddler all played under Saskatchewan Head Coach Dave Adolph this past week at the FISU University games. Fiddler and Cartier were also line mates with Huskies' top scorer Craig McCallum throughout the tournament.

 
THE SERIES:

Mount Royal is 1-2 in their brief Canada West playoff careers. In 2013-14 the Cougars took the first game of their series with Manitoba on the road before losing the second two. This will be the first time in program history the Cougars will host the playoffs.

The Huskies are 8-4 all-time against Mount Royal but have struggled against the Cougars this season. Mount Royal is 3-1 against Saskatchewan, winning both games at home and splitting their weekend in Saskatoon.

(3) MOUNT ROYAL COUGARS (17-10-1)

Cody Cartier led the Cougars in scoring all season and was third in Canada West with 14 goals, 25 assists and 39 points. His 25 assists were first in the conference.

Mackenzie Johnston had a superb rookie season for Mount Royal. The first year Cougar was fourth on the team in scoring and logged a lot of minutes for the Coach Gilling on the back end. He was second in the conference in rookie scoring next to only Stephane Legault, a forward, from the powerhouse Alberta Golden Bears.

In goal the Cougars have two solid options to turn to down the stretch. Veteran Dalyn Flette was on pace for his best season as Cougars before an injury sidelined him. In his return, Dalyn looked as sharp as ever against Manitoba. Cam Lanigan was excellent during Feltte's absence. The second year goalie was thrust into action in some big games and came away with a number of key victories.

(6) SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (10-15-3)

There was a lot of pressure put on fifth year Craig McCallum this season after Derek Hulak left for the AHL. The Canoe Lake, Saskatchewan native has rose to the occasion notching career highs in goals with 12 and points with 26.

In goal the Huskies will lean on fifth year goalie Ryan Holfeld. Holfeld split time in goal with Kris Lazaruk of the Calgary Dinos at the FISU games, donning the Team Canada sweater for the first time in his career. This season, in 15 games, Holfeld is 5-8-1-1 with a 2.42 GAA and a 0.922 save percentage.

The Huskies were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season by UBC. They did earn a berth in the CIS University Cup, as the host, and went on a run once they got there. They defeated the nation's second ranked team, the Acadia Axemen in the first round before dominating the OUA Champions from Windsor 9-0 in the semis. In the finals, the Huskies fell 3-1 to the nation's top team, the Alberta Golden Bears.