Today it's a coast-to-coast celebration as Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada takes center stage all across Canada. Prince George hockey fans are in for a treat though, as one of the remote locations for this special day happens to be in Prince George. And this afternoon Cougars fans will be showcased live on CBC as part of the celebration. But beyond the glitz and glamour of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada remains a more important fact – The Cougars have a game to play and ideally a game to win. Last night the Cougars put forth easily their worst effort of the season home or away in an 8-0 loss to Edmonton. Now it's time for the Cougars to bounce back and show some pride in front of what is expected to be the biggest crowd of the season to date at the CN Centre this season.

OVERVIEW:

Derek Laxdal's Edmonton Oil Kings were full marks in all areas last night en route to their 30th victory of the 2013-2014 season. From start to finish they were a team hell-bent on victory, and it showed in all areas. They outshot the Cougars 57-17, outscored the Cougars 8-0 and evened the season series at 1-1. This afternoon the message will undoubtedly be the same, as they gun for the weekend sweep at the CN Centre.

WHO'S UP FRONT:

The trio of Henrik Samuelsson, Mitch Moroz and Reid Petryk were too much to handle last night for the Cougars defensively. The trio combined for six goals and 13 points, and were a threat every time they took the ice. Samuelsson led the way with four goals and one assist while Petryk chipped in with two goals and two assists. Moroz, who's usually the goal scorer of the group had four helpers. Keeping these three in check is going to be integral to the Cougars success here tonight.

WHO'S ON D:

As good as Edmonton was offensively their defensive abilities cannot be overlooked. Last night Edmonton held the Cougars to a mere 17 shots and made life difficult for them in all aspects. The Oil Kings defense-corps can do it all: Score, hit, pass and force turnovers, and last night they did all of those things in excess which greatly contributed to their victory.

WHO'S IN GOAL:

With his sixth shutout of the season, Oil Kings goaltender Tristan Jarry now leads the WHL with six shutouts on the season. The 18-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins prospect wasn't tested a ton last night, but made his saves count when he had too. His best stop came in the first few minutes of the game when he robbed Todd Fiddler point blank on Fiddler's backhand deke. Odds are good that Jarry will again get the nod here today, and the Cougars are going to have to work a lot harder and smarter if they want to beat him.

X-FACTOR:

There is no substitute for experience, and the Edmonton Oil Kings are a team brimming with confidence that can only come from experience. When the Oil Kings score the first goal in a game they've got a record of 23-2. Stats don't always tell the whole story, but in this case it's pretty obvious. When they lead in games, they usually win.

OVERVIEW:

Mark Holick's Prince George Cougars are looking to bounce back after their toughest loss of 2013-2014. As good as the Edmonton Oil Kings were last night, the Prince George Cougars didn't do themselves any favors whatsoever due to their lack of effort and compete. That has to change this afternoon, and in all likihood it will. This is a young Cougars team that are still in the midst of realizing their identity, and today they have a chance to prove some doubters wrong, and make a statement to not only the city of Prince George, but also the entire country.

WHO'S UP FRONT:

Who is going to be a difference-maker today? Who is going to take the team, put it on their back and say "Follow me guys!" Ideally the Cougars are going to get 12 equal contributions from their forward group, but in order to beat a team like Edmonton they are going to need their stars to bring their best. Look for the likes of Troy Bourke, Todd Fiddler, Zach Pochiro and Klarc Wilson to have a strong push-back game today.

WHO'S ON D:

See above. only sub out Bourke, Pochiro, Wilson and Fiddler for Marc McNulty, Wil Tomchuk, Sam Ruopp and Raymond Grewal.

WHO'S IN GOAL:

Neither Ty Edmonds or Adam Beukeboom can be faulted for last night's end result. That said, the Cougars aren't going to win this afternoon without stellar goaltending. The Oil Kings are a team that shoots from everywhere and anywhere, and it is going to take a full six-man effort for all 60 minutes to ensure defensive success. Strong goaltending needs to happen in order to provide some confidence to the bench, and to the fans.

X-FACTOR:

Unfortunately big crowds have not been the norm for the Cougars in recent seasons, but this afternoon the players will get a chance to strut their stuff in front of an energetic fan-base. It'll be important for the Cougars to get the crowd into it early. Whether it's an early goal, a big hit, a fight or a timely save. The Cougars all need to stay within themselves and play to their strengths. The positive results take care of themselves when you put in the neccessary work. The time is now for the Cougars to dig deep and give this afternoon's crowd lots to cheer about.