For the first time this season, the Prince George Cougars are set to go head-to-head with the top team in the Western Hockey League, the Portland Winterhawks. Last season the Cougars went 1-3 against Portland, having earned a 4-3 overtime win at home against them back on December 7^th.

OVERVIEW:

The Portland Winterhawks have a seven-point lead on the Kelowna Rockets and the Kamloops Blazers for the best record in the Western Hockey League. At 33-5-1-0, the Winterhawks have a .859 winning percentage heading into tonight’s game, which is far and away the best percentage in the league. The Winterhawks are 10-0 in their last 10, and have won 10 straight altogether.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Even with Ty Rattie away at the World Juniors, the Portland offense did not miss a beat. Leading the charge offensively for Portland is the duo of Nicolas Petan and Brendan Leipsic. Together, Leipsic and Petan have combined for 132 points through 39 games, and are ranked two and three respectively in the WHL scoring race. Both are especially dangerous on the power play, as each has scored nine goals on the man-advantage this season.

WHO’S ON D:

As dynamic as the Portland offense is, their defense is just as effective. The Winterhawks have only allowed 85 goals against this season, which is nine fewer than the second ranked Edmonton Oil Kings. Derrick Pouliot, Troy Rutkowski, Seth Jones, and Tyler Wotherspoon could all be considered elite defenceman in the Western Hockey League and can beat you at both ends of the ice.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Whether it’s 20-year-old veteran Mac Carruth (18-2) or the draft-eligible Brendan Burke (7-2-1-1) the Portland Winterhawks have an incredibly talented tandem in goal. Carruth has the best goals-against-average in the entire WHL, while Burke has not lost a game since October 6^th in Moose Jaw. The Winterhawks know full well that both goalies give them equal confidence when it comes to winning games.

X-FACTOR:

Home is truly an advantage for the Winterhawks who are 18-3 so far this season on home ice. For the Cougars to win tonight, they are going to need a lot of factors to go their way. If the Winterhawks can strike early, and get their crowd into the game, it could be tough sledding for the Cougars tonight in Portland.

OVERVIEW:

The Prince George Cougars health situation is slowly improving, but with the trade deadline looming, the Cougars will still be a couple of forwards shy of fielding a complete roster. The Cougars are still looking for their first win of 2013, and have dropped five straight games since the end of the holiday break. The Cougars are five points back of Everett for eighth place with three games in hand, one of which is tonight against the Winterhawks.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Saturday against Kelowna, the Cougars were only able to dress 10 forwards, and it could be a similar reality tonight. After a forgettable first 30 minutes on Saturday against Kelowna, the Cougars forwards came to life offensively in the second half. Leading the way was Jarrett Fontaine who tallied twice, and added a helper for his first ever multi-point game in the WHL.

WHO’S ON D:

With Raymond Grewal back skating, the Cougars should be able to dress six defenceman for the first time in 2013. Defensively the Cougars struggled through the first half of Saturday’s tilt with Kelowna, but eventually was able to settle things down and played better in the second half. It won’t be easy this week, as the Portland Winterhawks have a ton of talent and a ton of depth, but with great challenge comes great opportunity.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

After battling an illness since the late stages of December, Brett Zarowny is back skating with the Cougars, and might be ready to go during one of these games against Portland. After winning Player of the Month honors for December, it’s the hope of many that Brett Zarowny can build off of December’s success moving forward. Mac Engel has played a ton as of late, and if his number is called again tonight, perhaps his familiarity with the Winterhawks will serve as an asset. Engel played two full seasons in Spokane as a member of the Chiefs.

X-FACTOR:

If the Cougars are going to upset the league’s best team tonight, they’re going to need a couple of things to go their way. One, they’ll need to convert on their opportunities, which might be few and far between given Portland’s defensive capabilities. Two, they’ll need to be disciplined, and third they’ll need strong goaltending from either Brett Zarowny or Mac Engel. If they get those things, they might be just three back of Everett for eighth when all is said and done tonight.