Tonight the Prince George Cougars and the Spokane Chiefs will play their third game against each other in the past five days. So far the Chiefs have won both games, and the Cougars will seek redemption tonight at CN Centre.

Overview:

The Spokane Chiefs come into tonight’s game with a 9-3 record. They’ve won three in a row dating back to last Friday against Seattle, and they’re clicking on all cylinders right now. They’re getting offense from everywhere, and defensively they’ve held the Cougars to just three goals in the past two games.

Who’s Up Front:

19-year-old forward Mitch Holmberg led the way up front for Spokane last night with a goal and two assists. Holmberg’s goal turned out to be the game winner. So far through 12 games, Holmberg has notched 22 points which puts him third overall in the WHL scoring race.

Who’s on D:

Brenden Kichton showed last night why he is one of the most consistent and elite defenders in the entire WHL. Kichton had three assists, and was a +3 for the Chiefs in their victory last night. So far this season Kichton has 15 points in 12 games, which puts him third among all WHL defencemen in scoring.

Who’s in Goal:

Eric Williams stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced in last night’s game to earn his seventh victory of the season. The 19-year-old from Langley, B.C. has a goals against average of 2.89 and a save percentage of .889. It is possible though that Don Nachbaur may use backup Garret Hughson, who earned his first ever WHL victory against Prince George last Saturday night.

X-Factor:

Spokane continues to score goals on the man advantage, which still sits among the top five in the entire WHL. If the Chiefs can draw lots of penalties, and force the Cougars to kill lots of penalties, it bodes well for them in tonight’s game. Discipline will again be a major key for the Cougars against Spokane tonight.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game with a record of 5-7-1-0. They sit alone in fourth place in the B.C. Division and are currently in the midst of a six-game winless streak that extends back to October 12^th in Lethbridge. The Cougars were solid through 40 minutes last night, and will look to right the ship tonight against Spokane.

Who’s Up Front:

Colin Jacobs will suit up for game 200 when the Cougars take the ice against the Spokane Chiefs tonight. Jacobs leads the Cougars with eight goals, and 16 points, and is currently riding a two game point streak. Here’s hoping that game 200 can be a special one for Jacobs and his linemates.

Who’s on D:

It’s interesting to note that the Cougars are 4-0-0-0 this season when defenceman Dallas Ehrhardt records at least one point. Ehrhardt was strong in last night’s game along with defense partner Raymond Grewal, and as one of the veteran leaders on the back-end, it will be up to Ehrhardt to lead by example tonight against Spokane. A strong outing from Ehrhardt at both ends of the ice would be huge for the Cougars.

Who’s in Goal:

A tough decision for Cougars head coach Dean Clark. Do you go back with Mac Engel after last night’s loss to Spokane, or do you give Brett Zarowny the opportunity to play in his first game since last Tuesday against Calgary. Engel was awesome through 40 minutes last night, but obviously would like to have the third period back. Whether it’s Engel or Zarowny, the Cougars will need their goaltender to be at his best tonight to help break this streak.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars have not scored a five-on-five goal since October 13^th in Medicine Hat. All of their goals since have come via the power play. The Cougars are going to need to find a way to break that trend tonight. If the Cougars can dictate the play five-on-five and maybe score an early one to get the bench going, this could very well be the night that the Cougars erase this losing streak, and earn their sixth victory of the season.