After a long and taxing month of November, the Prince George Cougars can finally let their hair down and enjoy the comforts of home for an extended period of time. The Cougars last home game was 17 days ago and they have only played three of their past 11 on home ice. Unfortunately the Cougars haven’t been able to gain much traction given the amount of road games, and subsequently the injury bug has reared it’s ugly head into the Cougars situation. All of that said, the Cougars are entering their most important weekend of the regular season to date and will need to dig deep in all areas in order to find some success.

OVERVIEW:

Don Hay’s Vancouver Giants enter this weekend having earned at least one point in seven consecutive games. They are 4-0-3-0 in that span and altogether have posted a season record of 11-11-4-1. Heading into the weekend Vancouver currently holds a three point advantage on the Cougars for eighth place in the Western Conference. They have also played in two fewer games meaning that a win or two for Vancouver would give the Giants a tremendous statistical advantage heading into the middle portion of the season. So far the Giants are 3-0 against Prince George this season.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Giants forward Carter Popoff does not want the month of November to end. In 10 November games, Popoff has scored three goals and 15 points. So far this season his 30 points are tops on the team and he is the only forward who is firing at a point-per-game clip so far this season. The 18-year-old sophomore has already eclipsed his point total from last season by three. He has three points in three games against the Cougars so far this season.

WHO’S ON D:

 The Vancouver Giants currently have two defenceman who have managed at least one point per game so far this season. 19-year-old Brett Kulak leads the Vancouver d-men with 27 points in 27 games and is second on the team in goal scoring with 10. 20-year-old captain Dalton Thrower has 20 points in 20 games and had the OT winner for Vancouver back on October 30th in Prince George.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

The Vancouver Giants goaltending situation is interesting considering the fact that both Jared Rathjen (19) and Payton Lee (17) have similar goals-against-averages and similar save percentage stats. And while neither goaltender poses a statistical threat, both have shown this season that they can win games, particularly against Prince George. Lee has been especially effective having earned six of his 24 career victories against the Prince George Cougars. Lee has a lifetime record of 6-1 against the Cougars while Rathjen has defeated the Cougars three times throughout his career.

X-FACTOR:

20-year-old forward Cain Franson has feasted on the Prince George Cougars throughout his four year WHL career. Since the 2010-2011 season, Franson has notched 24 points in 22 games against the Cougars, and has scored seven goals and 20 points through 23 games so far this season with the Giants.

OVERVIEW:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game with a record of 10-15-1-3. They have played eight of their last nine games on the road and have now fallen out of the top eight in the Western Conference playoff picture. Granted there is still loads of time for things to change, but the MO for the Cougars has not changed: Every single point is a vital one this season for the young Cougars, and this weekend the Cougars must find a way to inch closer if not past the Giants in the standings despite their depleted roster. So far the Cougars are 0-2-1-0 in three meetings with Vancouver this season.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

It’s easy to look at the Cougars roster this weekend and highlight the names that they ‘don’t have’ available, but the brutal truth is this: Nobody in the league is going to feel sorry for the Cougars, so they can’t feel sorry for themselves. No Zach Pochiro, Jari Erricson, David Soltes or Troy Bourke? Well now some of the younger talented players will have a shot at some extra ice time and some extra opportunities. Which younger player is willing to step up his game and take advantage of the opportunity? Jansen Harkins? Tyler Mrkonjic? Jordan Tkatch has had a strong month of November but can he contribute even more? Somebody is going to have to this weekend if the Cougars want to find success.

WHO’S ON D:

On the back end the Cougars will be without Raymond Grewal and Tate Olson this weekend, but fortunately the Cougars will likely have Joseph Carvalho back and available. Prior to his injury, Carvalho was playing some of his best hockey for PG, and hopefully his return to the back end can help spark a group that has struggled to find an offensive rhythm all season long.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Despite some of the recent injuries and road struggles one of the major highlights for the Cougars as of late has been the play of goaltender Brett Zarowny. After a ghastly start to the season, Zarowny has really picked up his game, and has put together three consecutive strong outings, winning two of them. Zarowny’s save percentage is now inching closer to the .900 mark, and hopefully that success can continue into this weekend. Plain and simple, the Cougars don’t win this weekend without strong goaltending both nights.

X-FACTOR:

In recent seasons past the Prince George Cougars have often found themselves in a familiar situation where they are hosting the team immediately ahead of them in the standings in a double-header and needing victories. Over the past two seasons these types of scenarios have not gone according to plan for the Cougars who have either split the games or have lost both, rather than winning both and inching closer. While this weekend isn’t exactly a ‘must win’ weekend for the Cougars there is no denying the urgency and the importance. A four point weekend for the Cougars not only allows them to potentially leap-frog the Giants, but it also moves them back into striking distance of the Thunderbirds and the Americans. You can’t get four points without the first two, and tonight’s game will be as ‘playoff’ as it gets for late November.