It’s been nearly a full week since the Prince George Cougars last took the ice for a game, but the wait is over as the Prince George Cougars are back on home ice for the first if six straight games at the CN Centre. Tonight, it’s the first of three meetings this season between the Prince George Cougars and the Calgary Hitmen.

 Overview:

Mike Williamson’s Calgary Hitmen come into tonight’s game having already played twice on their current West Coast road swing. Tuesday they beat Kelowna 2-1 and on Wednesday they came within an eyelash of completing a three goal comeback, but ultimately fell 4-3 in overtime in Vancouver. The Hitmen are the top team in the East with a record of 9-3-1-1 and are without a regulation loss in eight straight games.

Who’s Up Front:

Through 14 games, the Hitmen have been led offensively by Edmonton Oilers prospect Greg Chase. The 18-year-old was selected in the seventh round by the Oilers in the 2013 draft, and currently leads the Hitmen with 10 goals and 19 points. Chase had 17 goals and 49 points last season, and one of those goals was scored against Prince George.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Calgary Hitmen are an even mix of size and skill. Offensively the Hitmen are led by two veteran stalwarts Kenton Helgeson and Jaynen Rissling who have both notched 11 points so far. Helgeson is an Anaheim prospect while Rissling was drafted by the Washington Capitals. You can expect to see both of those veterans log some big minutes this weekend in Prince George.

Who’s in Goal:

Both Chris Dredger and Mack Shields are prime examples of why stats don’t necessarily tell the whole story. Statistically neither Calgary net minder has posted exceptional numbers to start the season. Dredger is 4-3-1-1 with a goals-against-average of over 3.00 and a save percentage under .900. But the Ottawa Senators prospect has a winning record, and gives his team a chance to win on any given night. At the other side, Mack Shields is 5-0, and his goals-against-average and save percentage are similar to Dredger’s. Don’t let the stats fool you. Both of these goaltenders are very talented, and both could very well get a game in PG this weekend.

X-Factor:

This weekend fans will get another look at the first overall pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft, Jake Virtanen. The 17-year-old Abbotsford, B.C. product is a strong candidate to be selected in the first round of the upcoming NHL Draft, and is off to a fine start this season with 12 points in 14 games. Virtanen checks in a 6’1” and 210 pounds, and will be a definite handful for Cougars defenders this weekend.

 Overview:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars are back at home after playing their past four games on the road. Their southern road trip had a few positives towards the end, but ultimately the Cougars finished the trip 1-3 and now find themselves a game below .500 at 6-7-0-1. So far this season has been defined by several peaks and valleys for the Cougars. One night they can be brilliant, while the next night they will veer from the game plan and look beatable. It’s all part-in-parcel with having a young team, but this weekend and this homestand will be a very telling one for the 2013-2014 Cougars.

 Who’s Up Front:

18-year-old forward Chase Witala is on a roll for the Prince George Cougars. The Prince George native has tallied six goals and 10 points over the past seven games, which puts him in a tie for the team lead in points with 12. Witala has earned at least one point in six of his last seven games, and has three multi-point games in that span. His previous season high for points was 34 which he accomplished in 2012-2013. Witala is currently on pace for 30 goals and 61 points in 2013-2014. Another big weekend from Witala and company would be a huge boost for the Cougars.

 Who’s on D:

On September,11, 2013 the Prince George Cougars and Calgary Hitmen completed a trade that sent 20-year-old defenceman Peter Kosterman (Calgary, AB) to the Prince George Cougars in exchange for a fourth round pick in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft along with a sixth round pick in the 2015 Draft. Kosterman had previously spent his entire Western Hockey League career with the Calgary Hitmen. In 234 games, he had five goals, 32 points and 166 penalty minutes. In 27 career playoff games, Kosterman scored two goals, tallied six points and added 16 penalty minutes. He was originally selected by the Calgary Hitmen in the first round (19^th overall) in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft. He was a member of the Hitmen’s 2010 WHL Championship team. This weekend will mark the first time that Kosterman squares off against his former teammates.

 Who’s in Goal:

Ty Edmonds’ October numbers continue to impress. Even though his record is just 4-3-0-1 his goals-against-average is a mind-blowing 1.90 and his save percentage is equally impressive at .936. Most importantly, the rookie netminder continues to give the Cougars a great chance to win games, and with each passing game, it seems as if Edmonds is becoming more confident and more at ease with the day-to-day rigors of the WHL. This weekend we could very well see Edmonds and Brett Zarowny split time, but a lot will have to do with how things go on Friday night.

 X-Factor:

Tonight’s game marks the first time the Prince George Cougars have faced an Eastern Conference opponent this season. Obviously game’s against the Western Conference carry a little more clout, but that doesn’t dismiss the importance of this weekend by any means. Last season the Cougars were 6-13-0-1 against teams from the East, and one could argue that a few more wins against non-conference teams could have vaulted this team into the post-season. It’s important from a confidence stand-point that the Cougars come out with a good effort tonight, because it will help them serve notice to the Eastern Conference that they are not a team to be taken lightly, and that those long bus trips to Prince George are only the beginning.