Another exciting weekend at the rink is upon us. Tonight, the Prince George Cougars go head-to-head with the top team in the CHL, the Portland Winterhawks in the first of two straight games at the CN Centre.  Tonight the Cougars will look to inch closer to eighth place, as they head into the weekend three points back of eighth placed Everett with 12 games left. Standing in their way are the red hot Winterhawks who 8-2 in their last 10 games.

Overview:

The Portland Winterhawks head into tonight’s game with an overall record of 49-9-1-2. They are 13 points ahead of Kelowna for first in the Western Conference, and are 10 points ahead of Edmonton for the best overall record in the league. So far this season the Winterhawks are 2-0 against the Cougars defeating them twice in Portland back in early January.

Who’s Up Front:

The Portland Winterhawks are loaded with offensive depth, and perhaps there is no better display of offense than Portland’s top trio of Ty Rattie, Nic Petan and Brendan Leipsic. Those three forwards have combined this season for 119 goals and 295 points. Leipsic (105 points) and Nic Petan (102 points) are 1-2 in league scoring heading into this weekend.

Who’s on D:

In addition to boasting three of the top offensive point producers in the WHL, the Winterhawks also have two of the top three offensive defencemen in the league. Troy Rutkowski is tied for the league lead in goals for a defenceman with 18, and his 56 points ranks second only to Spokane’s Brendan Kichton’s 67. Following Rutkowski is the likely first overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Seth Jones who has nine goals and 45 points.

Who’s in Goal:

The Portland Winterhawks have two very talented and capable netminders in their arsenal. Both Mac Carruth and Brendan Burke give Portland a great chance to win on both nights. Carruth, the 20-year-old heads into the weekend leading all WHL goaltenders with seven shutouts, and his 1.99 goals-against-average is second best in the entire WHL.

X-Factor:

The scariest part about the Portland Winterhawks is the fact that even when their top guns aren’t clicking offensively, they have a tremendous amount of depth that can step up and supply some offense. Eight different Winterhawks have surpassed the 40-point plateau this season, which means that  the Cougars are going to have to be at their best not just against Rattie, Leipsic and Petan, but against the entire Winterhawks club.

Overview:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game with a record of 18-34-2-6. They are three points behind Everett for eighth place in the West, and have just 12 games remaining in their regular season schedule. The Cougars played Portland tough in both games in Portland back on January 8^th and 9^th, and this time the Cougars will actually have a full roster at their disposal.

Who’s Up Front:

If the Cougars are going to beat the Winterhawks this weekend their top offensive guns are going to have to make an impact. Colin Jacobs heads into tonight’s game with the team lead in goals (22) and points (43). Jacobs and his linemates Chase Witala and Klarc Wilson will be looked upon to compliment the trio of Troy Bourke, Jari Erricson and Zach Pochiro. If the Cougars can get some equal offense from both of those lines, it bodes well for them this weekend.

Who’s on D:

Cougars Captain Dan Gibb has been a true work horse all season for Prince George, and this weekend might be his toughest yet. Gibb will undoubtedly see the most ice-time against the likes of Brendan Leipsic, Ty Rattie and Nic Petan. That said, it is going to take a 100 percent commitment from each and every player, both forwards and defensemen to keep the Winterhawks neutralized.

Who’s in Goal:

The last time these teams met, Mac Engel made 46 saves on 48 shots faced in a 3-0 Portland victory over Prince George. Engel gave his team every opportunity to win that game, and battled extremely hard through that entire game. Engel will need to bring that same calibre of work-ethic to the rink this weekend. If Engel can play that well this weekend, and have his teammates supply him with offense, it would go a long way for the Cougars and their quest for victory against Portland.

X-Factor:

The biggest factor for the Cougars tonight is going to be their attention to detail defensively. Good decision-making is going to be crucial for the Cougars in all areas of the ice tonight if they want to find success. This means picking your moments defensively to either join the rush, or pinch for a puck at the blueline. It also means protecting the front of your net, and not allowing too many second and third chances. If the Cougars can collectively bring a tireless work-ethic into tonight’s game, they’ll give Portland everything they can handle.