Tonight the Prince George Cougars will square off against the Calgary Hitmen for the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Cougars are coming off two straight losses on the road, while Calgary lost their first game in regulation on Sunday against Kamloops. The Cougars were 1-1 against the Hitmen last season, and will be in tough tonight against one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.

Overview:

The Hitmen enter tonight’s game with a 6-1-1-1 record which is good enough for top spot in the Central  Division. They’ve outscored their opposition 25-28 through nine games, and are playing their fourth game in five nights tonight in Prince George.

Who’s Up Front:

So far this season, the Hitmen’s offense has been led by three veteran forwards in B rooks Macek, Brady Brassart and Cody Sylvester. Those three have combined for 36 points so far this season with Macek leading the way with 15 points in nine games. All three of those players are ‘plus players’ on the defensive side as well, and will certainly be a factor in tonight’s game one way or another.

Who’s on D:

It’s hard not to notice 19-year-old defenceman Alex Roach. He’s 6’4, 228 pounds, and provides solid play at both ends of the ice for the Calgary Hitmen. The Quesnel product is a +9 on the season, and has put up five points and 14 penalty minutes so far.

Who’s in Goal:

The tandem of Chris Driedger and Mack Shields is certainly one of the more impressive tandems in the Eastern Conference. The 18-year-old Driedger is 5-1-1 on the season so far with a .902 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.92. 1995-born Mack Shields is 1-0-0-1 in his two starts this season.

X-Factor:

The  Calgary Hitmen have had their struggles killing penalties to start the season. Heading into tonight’s game, the Hitmen have only killed off 68.2 percent of their penalties, which makes them 20^th in the WHL, one spot behind the Cougars who are at 19^th. Discipline will be a major key for the Hitmen who surrendered five power play goals against in their recent loss to the Kamloops Blazers on Sunday.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game riding a modest two-game losing streak. They’re record is 5-3-1-0 and they currently sit third in the B.C. Division behind Victoria and Kamloops. After scoring just four goals in their last two games, the Cougars are hoping that a return to CN Centre can help ignite their offense against a tough Calgary opponent.

Who’s Up Front:

Caleb Belter returns to the Cougars lineup tonight after serving a one game suspension for interference. Belter leads the Cougars with a +10 rating, and has been one of their most dependable forwards so far this season. Belter has also notched seven points in eight games, and can help provide some secondary scoring in tonight’s game.

Who’s on D:

Tonight is going to be a big statement game for 20-year-olds Daniel Gibb and Dallas Ehrhardt. The two veteran defensemen will need to provide quality minutes defensive for the Cougars, against a Calgary team that can come at you in waves. They’ll need to make smart decisions offensively, and lead the charge defensively. A strong outing from these two will go a long way to help the Cougars earn their sixth victory of the season.

Who’s in Goal:

Yesterday, the Prince George Cougars announced that they had acquired 19-year-old goaltender Mac Engel from the Spokane Chiefs, in exchange for a 2014 fourth round pick in the Bantam Draft. While Engel may not play or dress tonight, he will provide the Cougars with some veteran experience down the road. The addition of Engel should also help motivate the likes of  Brett Zarowny and Devon Fordyce. Whoever gets the call in goal tonight will need to be at their best, because the Hitmen have strong depth, and a power play that’s ranked eighth overall in the WHL.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars have now allowed a power play goal in five consecutive games this season. If the Cougars can reverse that trend tonight at home, they have a great chance to win. In four home games this season, the Cougars have only taken eight penalties. If they can play most of tonight’s game five-on-five, there is no reason not to think that the Cougars can earn their sixth victory in 10 games.