The Prince George Cougars and Victoria Royals are about to get very acquainted with one another. The B.C. Division rivals will square off tonight in the first of two weekend games in Victoria. These teams will then play two more in Prince George next weekend. Only four points separate the Royals from the Cougars heading into the weekend, and points will certainly be at a premium over the next two weeks.

Overview:

The Victoria Royals head into tonight’s game with a 12-11 record through 23 games. They are 3-7 in their past 10, and hold a four point advantage over the Prince George Cougars for third in the B.C. Division.

Who’s Up Front:

Early in the regular season, the Victoria Royals traded Zane Jones to Calgary in order to a get overage import forward Alex Gogolev. Heading into the weekend, Gogolev leads the Royals with 27 points in 23 games, and has fit in nicely with Victoria. Keeping Gogolev in check will be a major factor for the Cougars this weekend.

Who’s on D:

18-year-old defenceman Brett Cote leads all Royals defenders with 10 points in 23 games so far this season. Cote along with players like Tyler Stahl, Jordan Fransoo, and Joe Hicketts provide the Royals with a mobile and effective crop of defenders who can beat you at both ends of the ice.

Who’s in Goal:

The tandem of Patrick Polivka and Coleman Vollrath has certainly helped to provide some stability in the Royals goal crease. Polivka is 9-6-0-1 with a 3.05 goals against average and a save percentage just under .900.  Coleman Vollrath has appeared in seven games, and brings a 1-3 record into the weekend.

X-Factor:

Last season, the Cougars had a ton of difficulty keeping 18-year-old forward Brandon Magee off the score sheet. Magee led all Royals last season with 10 points in eight games against Prince George. So far this season, Magee has 17 points in 23 games, which is tied for third highest on the team.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s Prince George Cougars head into the weekend having earned points in six of their past 10 games. It’s a strange statistic given the fact that Prince George has just snapped a seven-game losing skid with Tuesday’s win against Regina. The Cougars have played some strong hockey in November without being fully rewarded for their efforts. It will be key for the Cougars to keep their compete level strong this weekend. Their record is 8-11-1-3.

Who’s Up Front:

Secondary scoring has been very noticeable for the Cougars over their past two games. They’ve scored eight times in the past two games, and have had eight different players supply the offense. If the Cougars are going to find success this weekend in Victoria, it’s going to require an equal effort from all hands on deck.

Who’s on D:

When Dallas Ehrhardt records points, the Prince George Cougars win. It’s that simple. The Cougars are 6-0-1-0 when Ehrhardt records at least a point. The 20-year-old product of Calgary, Alberta will be counted upon to provide some key minutes this weekend on the backend for the Cougars, and if he can supply some offense, the Cougars will likely be rewarded with points in the standings.

Who’s in Goal:

Mac Engel has played very well for Prince George during the month of November, but has had very little to show for it. Engel earned a 4-3 shootout victory for the Cougars on Tuesday, and came up huge in the shootout when the game was on the line. With two games in two nights, we could very-well see both Mac Engel and Brett Zarowny, but much will depend on how Friday’s game goes.

X-Factor:

The Cougars power play has now clicked in back-to-back games. Special teams are always a vital part of a game, but especially this weekend, with the Cougars on the road, they will need to make the most of their power play chances. If they can stay disciplined, and take advantage of their five-on-four opportunities, they could very well find themselves just two points back of Victoria after tonight’s game.