Tonight the Prince George Cougars are at it again, this time in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes. So far the Cougars are 0-1 against Lethbridge this season, dropping a heart-breaker to the Hurricanes back on October 12^th.

Overview:

Rich Preseton’s Lethbridge Hurricanes head into tonight’s game holding onto the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. At 25-25-2-7, Lethbridge is three points back of seventh placed Swift Current and three points ahead of ninth placed Kootenay.

Who’s Up Front:

With 27 goals and 43 points, Jaimen Yakubowski leads the Hurricanes in both goals and points. The 18-year-old product of Dalmeny, SK has struggled as of late though having gone seven games without a point. Lethbridge will need Yakubowski to return to form here sooner or later while the Cougars are hoping to keep Yakubowski silenced for at least one more game.

Who’s on D:

Draft eligible defenseman Macoy Erkamps heads into tonight’s game with five goals and 33 points, which is second among Hurricanes defensemen for points behind only Daniel Johnston. Erkamps also boasts a plus-minus rating of +5, and is certainly a candidate to be selected by an NHL team come the summer.

Who’s in Goal:

Through 54 games this season, 20-year-old Ty Rimmer has been a real work-horse for Lethbridge this season. His record is an even 22-22-2-7 and has a goals-against-average of 3.00 and a strong save percentage of .915. The former Cougar gives his team a chance to win on a nightly basis.

X-Factor:

Forwards Russell Maxwell and Sam Mckechnie have provided the Hurricanes with consistent offense through a large majority of the season. Maxwell and Mckechnie have also struggled as of late, but have still combined for 82 points this season. If the Cougars can keep Maxwell, Mckechnie and Jaimen Yakubowski silenced tonight, they’re odds of winning are strong.

Overview:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game three points back of eighth placed Seattle and five points back of seventh placed Everett in the Western Conference playoff standings. Given the fact that Everett is hosting Seattle tonight, it is virtually imperative that the Cougars get two points tonight, because it’s a certainty that one of (if not both) the teams ahead of them will also earn points.

Who’s Up Front:

Last night Colin Jacobs supplied all of the offense for the Cougars in their 5-3 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers. Jacobs now has 21 goals and 41 points this season, which puts him one goal and three points back of his previous career highs in the WHL. A big night from Jacobs again would go a long way for the Cougars in a ‘must-win’ type of game.

Who’s on D:

20-year-old defenseman Dallas Ehrhardt suited up for his 200^th game in the WHL last night in Medicine Hat and earned an assist on Colin Jacobs’ first goal of the game. Ehrhardt has 19 points on the season now, and has done his part to provide offense through the first 11 games under Mark Holick. That said, Ehrhardt and his fellow defenders will need to be at their best tonight, as they look to keep some of the top guns from Lethbridge silenced.

Who’s in Goal:

Last night’s game in Medicine Hat was by no means a season highlight for 19-year-old Mac Engel who stopped 25 of the 30 shots he faced. That said, Engel has shown this season that he can be a difference-maker for the Cougars in a positive way, and tonight he’ll look to bounce back in a big way in Lethbridge. If both Mac Engel and Ty Rimmer are at their best tonight, then we could be in for a low-scoring affair.

X-Factor:

After the Cougars penalty thrived in late January and early February it has tapered off significantly over the past week. The Cougars have surrendered two power play goals against in each of their past four games, and it could definitely be argued that penalties ultimately cost the Cougars in last night’s game as they gave up late power play goals in the first and second periods which cost the Cougars a lead both times. If the Cougars can right the ship on special-teams tonight, they’re chances of securing two points improves dramatically.