The Prince George Cougars will wrap up the month of December with one final meeting with the Vancouver Giants. So far this month, these teams have met three times with the Cougars earning a record of 2-1 in the process. Both teams will be battling some fatigue as they are both playing their third game in three nights.

Overview:

The Vancouver Giants are 2-8-0-0 in their last 10 games and are 9-27 on the season. So far this weekend, the Giants have lost games to both Kelowna (5-3) and Kamloops (9-5). So far this season the Giants are 2-2 against the Cougars.

Who’s Up Front:

Jackson Houck led the way for Vancouver last night with three goals. With those three goals, Houck equaled his goal total (8) from last season. Houck’s had four points so far this weekend, and will once again be a focal point up front for Vancouver.

Who’s on D:

It’s impossible not to notice Brett Kulak for the right reasons. The 18-year-old Calgary Flames prospect leads all Giants defenders with five goals and 19 points, and logs a ton of key minutes on most nights for the G-Men. If Kulak is given time and space to move the puck, he can be a very dangerous weapon for his team.

Who’s in Goal:

With Payton Lee away at the World Under-17 Challenge, and with the recent retirement of goaltender Liam Liston, the Vancouver Giants have relied on 17-year-old Tyler Fuhr to carry the bulk of the load over the past two games. Fuhr has surrendered 14 goals this weekend, and has a goals-against-average of 7.02 and a save percentage of .754 in that span.

X-Factor:

Cain Franson is the type of player that can change the face of a game with a single shift. Franson has four points in the two games since the break, and had the game winner for the Giants back on December 14^th when they beat the Cougars 2-1 at home. It will be important for the Cougars to minimize Franson’s opportunities.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars head into today’s game with a record of 12-19-1-4. They are 11 points up on Vancouver for fourth in the B.C. Division and they trail Everett by three points for the eighth place playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Who’s Up Front:

Since rejoining the Cougars from injury, Chase Witala has played some excellent hockey. Witala has seven points in his four games, and has 10 in his last eight. Witala led the charge last night with two goals and an assist for the Cougars, and he along with linemates Troy Bourke and Colin Jacobs seemed to find their stride, especially on the power play.

Who’s on D:

16-year-old Sam Ruopp made his Cougars debut in last night’s game, and did not look the least bit out of place. Head Coach Dean Clark praised the efforts of Ruopp after last night’s game, and more than likely did enough to warrant another look in today’s game with Vancouver. If Ruopp can continue to make the simple and correct plays, I’m sure the coaching staff will not hesitate to use him regularly against  Vancouver.

Who’s in Goal:

A tough decision today for the Cougars as both Brett Zarowny and Mac Engel have seemingly earned an opportunity to play. Zarowny went 2-0 against Vancouver in two starts earlier this month, and the argument could easily be made that his excellent play against the Giants was the reason why he won CHL goaltender of the week honors. But Mac Engel was awesome in last night’s game in Victoria, and could certainly be deserving of another start as well.

X-Factor:

The major key for the Cougars today will to find a way to put more shots towards the opponent’s goal. This weekend, the Cougars have only put up 40 shots in the span of two games, and that number will have to improve today at the Pacific Coliseum against a Giants team that has struggled as of late. If the Cougars can get to the tough areas and make life tough on the opposing goaltender, they have a great chance at ending this road trip with a .500 record.