The road to playoffs: Take a look at a very promising post-season

By Rodrigo Verney, February 15 2023—

Finally nearing playoff season, the University of Calgary Dinos look better than ever with many teams taking one step closer to adding another season to their banners. The excitement is palpable with fans getting louder with every regular season game. The Dinos have been having good runs so far and the dream of a championship is alive and well. However, sometimes it can be hard to keep up with university and so many great teams to support, which is why it’s necessary to situate ourselves. The Dinos are facing the calm before the storm.

Hockey

The Dinos men’s hockey team has been unstoppable so far. Not only are they breaking records, but being the team with the most consecutive wins in a single season now defending their streak against the University of Manitoba Bisons on Feb. 3, and Feb. 4 back-to-back extending it to their 20th straight victory. They have now clinched the number 1 seed and are five wins in front of the number two team, the University of Alberta Pandas, and await to see who will get the last seed to absolutely demolish them. The soon-to-be champions are hungry to close this incredible season in the best way possible, by raising the cup high over their shoulders. Their last regular season matchup will happen on Feb. 11 against the MacEwan University Griffins. 

The Dinos women’s hockey team enjoys a 4th-seed position with thirteen wins and nine losses. They are going to battle it out against the number five ranked University of Saskatchewan Huskies, a team they have more than enough experience with. The road to the championship will be rocky, but the climb is very much within reach. They also see their last game on Feb. 11 against the Griffins.

Basketball

The Dinos men’s basketball team are fighting an uphill battle, but not a lost one. Standing at exactly .500 they are in a position where clutching the playoffs might be a lesser problem than being paired with a strong team in the first round. Currently standing at the 9th-seed and looking to clinch that spot, they would be going against the Brandon University Bobcats, which is a great matchup since they are a strong team but roughly evenly matched. The team still needs to make some adjustments but this group has been proving itself multiple times to be a competitive squad that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Their last game is on the same weekend of Feb. 11 against the Mount Royal University Cougars. 

“I think that we are slowly becoming the championship team that we can be because we are winning these close [games] as a team. […] We have been working hard every day,” said guard Ezehoa Santiago, after their Pack the Jack win.

The Dinos women’s basketball team is in a good position at .58 at the 6th-seed. They are looking forward to battling it out against a much lower-ranked 11th-seed and, by the looks of it, they have a great chance of having a deep playoff run. The future looks bright and they are as hungry as ever to snatch that title. Their last game comes this Feb. 11 against the Cougars.

Volleyball

The Dinos men’s volleyball team finds themselves in a similar situation. Situated at the .500 mark they are in a tough spot as they are only one seed above the 8th team. They will be playing against a competitive Cougars and will have to come with everything they have in order to advance deeper in the playoffs. Although the Dinos have a winning record against them, the difference is slim and everything can change in the playoffs. They will have to come out of the gate on fire and hold the lead throughout the game. Any changes might be too much of a risk to take. They are still a couple of days away from their last match against the Manitoba Bisons on Feb. 18.

The story is much the same for the Dinos women’s volleyball team. They are on the .550 which means that they will most likely get their rivals the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the first round. A tough matchup that proved to be a pain for the longest time. Winning games by a large margin during this regular season. The Dinos would be looking at a problematic first round and a pain to go deeper into the playoffs. The odds are tipping the scale against them, but this is how the Dinos like it to be. They will be facing the Bisons on Feb. 18.

Playoffs are the most electrifying event in sports. The time to prove who got what it takes to advance and who is the greatest on the field. The Dinos are enjoying a great season overall and everyone is excited to see who will survive in this everything-goes environment. Soon will come the time for the fittest to survive, and they will understand why Rex is the apex predator.