On Monday afternoon in Prince George, the Portland Winterhawks did something that no other team had been able to do in over two weeks: Defeat the Prince George Cougars. Earlier this week the Cougars were defeated 8-4 by a powerful and potent Winterhawks club that has now won 13 straight games, and are only nine points back of first place in the entire WHL. The loss halted the Cougars winning streak at six games, and also put them four points back of Tri-City for a playoff spot in the West. Now tonight the Cougars will look to avenge that loss with a better performance here tonight.

OVERVIEW:

Mike Johnston’s Portland Winterhawks come into tonight’s game with a 39-12-2-3 record. They are 2-0 this season against the Cougars and have not lost in regulation since January 5th against the Tri-City Americans. They are a team that can burn you in a moment’s notice if you’re not careful have scored the most goals in the entire WHL (262)

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Leading up to Monday’s game it was impossible to ignore the steady offensive contributions from the likes of Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand. But Monday’s offensive hero was actually third-year forward Chase De Leo. The 2014 draft eligible forward scored two goals and added three assists on Monday and was named the game’s first star for his efforts. De Leo has 31 goals which is tied for the second most on the team. De Leo recently was ranked #26 for North American draft eligible skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings and his play as of late certainly validates that type of ranking.

WHO’S ON D:

With a goal and an assist in Monday’s game, 20-year-old defenceman Garrett Haar certainly had a positive impact on the game’s outcome. Formerly a defenceman with the University of Western Michigan, Haar’s major junior rights were acquired by Portland before the season started, and from day one he has been a mainstay on the Winterhawks blueline. The Washington Capitals draft-pick has six goals and 41 points which ranks second only behind Derrick Pouliot for scoring amonst Winterhawks defencemen.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Phoenix Coyotes prospect Brendan Burke certainly did more than enough to help his team secure their 13th victory in a row. He faced 32 shots and turned aside 28 of them on Monday, and continues to show that he’s more than capable of leading Portland on a lengthy playoff run again this season. That said the Winterhawks have a decent insurance policy in place with 20-year-old goaltender Corbin Boes. Does Boes get the nod tonight after Burke played Monday? Or will Mike Johnston elect to go back with Burke?

X-FACTOR:

Here’s the thing about the Portland Winterhawks. Yes they are so skilled and experienced, but it’s not like that alone can win you games. From the drop of the puck on Monday, the Winterhawks WORKED tirelessly in all areas, and made their own breaks due to their level of effort and intensity. League champions don’t get to that stage by taking shortcuts, and it was clearly obvious on Monday that the Portland Winterhawks were willing to pay the price for victory. The Cougars will need to try and match that intensity tonight if they want to be successful.

OVERVIEW:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars are now 24-27-2-5 and have 14 games remaining in their 2013-2014 season. Monday’s loss was the first loss handed to the Cougars since Saturday, January 25th in Brandon, MB and now tonight the Cougars will look to kick-start another winning streak and in the process inch a little closer to eighth in the West. Right now the Cougars are in the midst of a very difficult section of their schedule with upcoming games against some very difficult opponents: Portland tonight followed by games with Kelowna, Kamloops, Seattle and then Portland again. Somehow, someway the Cougars are going to need to figure out a way to secure some points against these teams. They’re playoff lives depend on it.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

While Todd Fiddler has certainly received a bulk of the offensive praise as of late (and rightfully so), it’s important to note that Cougars captain Troy Bourke is also in the midst of a career season. Over his past four games, Bouke has four goals and six assists for 10 points! The Cougars captain is 16th in league scoring and is now only 18 points shy of match Eric Hunter’s record for most points in a Cougars uniform. It’s still a bit of a stretch for Bourke to reach that milestone this season, but it’s certainly not an impossibility considering his current point pace in February.

WHO’S ON D:

Another game, and another point for Cougars d-man Marc McNulty who has now run his point streak to seven consecutive games. Over his past seven games, McNulty has three goals and eight points and is now just only five points shy of 40 for his season. He has already doubled his offensive output from a season ago, and hopefully tonight McNulty and company will be ready to respond positively after Monday’s struggle. There is no doubt McNulty has opened some eyes due to this strong sophomore season in the WHL, and as he continues to mature in this league, the sky truly is the limit for him.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

After starting four consecutive games between the pipes for the Cougars, does Adam Beukeboom get the night off in favor of Ty Edmonds? Or has Beukeboom’s strong play as of late give him another opportunity tonight. Regardless of whether it’s Edmonds or Beukeboom, the Cougars are going to require their goaltender to be in top form against the highly talented Winterhawks. It might take a 45 or 50 save type of performance to get the Cougars back into the win column, and based on their recent showings, either Edmonds or Beukeboom are surely capable.

X-FACTOR:

Obviously the Cougars come into this game as an underdog, but the one thing that the Cougars can control is their work ethic and their discipline. At the end of 60 (or more) minutes, the Cougars may win, or they may lose, but this much is guaranteed: If the Cougars play with a high level of urgency and competitiveness, they are going to give themselves the best possible chance at winning. Hopefully tonight they’re work ethic either equals or exceeds that of the Portland Winterhawks.