The east

This is either the most predictable first round of the playoffs ever, or everyone is underestimating the bottom four teams in the east. I prefer to think along the lines of the former, because with the exception of Philadelphia, I have no faith in Ottawa, Montreal or Boston.

[1] Washington vs. [8] Montreal

March 23 started as an ordinary day for Dinos goaltender Nathan Deobald. He got up early to go to work and then headed off to attend class at the University of Calgary, where he is a drama student. As class started, he politely turned the ringer off his cell phone and tucked it away in his bag. While sitting in class, Deobald had no idea that his phone was being bombarded with texts and voice mails from his U of C coaches who were desperately trying to get a hold of him.

The Dinos men's hockey team's playoff dreams ended in dramatic fashion after losing a best-of-three series against the top seed University of Alberta Golden Bears last weekend. Both games were not short of controversy as the Dinos were forced to play all three of their goalies.

The wait for the University of Calgary men's hockey team is over. The Dinos, who finished fourth in Canada West standings, are set to play the first place University of Alberta Golden Bears in the first round of the playoffs. The three-game series will run in Edmonton this weekend. Playing all three games on the road will be no easy task for the Dinos, especially when they are facing a team that has only lost four games in regulation this year.

The University of Calgary men's hockey team finished the regular season on a high note, clinching a Canada West playoff spot by winning both games over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds last weekend. The Dinos move into third place for now. Both the University of Manitoba (fourth place) and the University of Lethbridge (fifth place) are still in the playoff race with two games remaining.

They're more than halfway there, but they're definitely living on a prayer right now. The Dinos women's hockey squad needs to win all four of their remaining games to have a hope at making the playoffs in their first season since returning to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (and get a little help from the University of Regina Cougars along the way). But that doesn't faze this team that has come together in the winter semester, picking up nine of the last 12 points.

The men's hockey team has a week to regroup, after losing back-to-back games against the University of Regina Cougars last weekend. The two losses in Regina drop the Dinos into fourth place in the Canada West conference, two points back from the third place University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

The University of Calgary women's hockey team gained a much-needed confidence boost last weekend. On the back of superb goaltending by Katie Urness, the Dinos defeated the University of Regina Cougars 3-2 and 3-0 in back-to-back games. Urness earned her first Canadian Interuniversity Sport shutout. The wins end the Dinos 13-game losing streak, which stretched back to the season opener against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

There has been a reversal in fortunes this season for the University of Calgary women's hockey team. Last year they were Alberta College Athletic Conference champions and this year they find themselves occupying last spot in the Canada West standings. The Dinos have managed only a single win, and it came during the first game of the season against the University of British Columbia thunderbirds. Since then they have lost five straight.

New season. New coach. Familiar opponent.

The Dinos men's hockey team kicks off the season with a home-at-home with their northern rival, the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

It'll be a tough opening test for the Dinos, considering the Bears, though finishing third at last year's CIS championships, have won eight of the last nine conference titles and three of the last five national titles.