With nine games remaining in their regular season, the Prince George Cougars march towards the 2013-2014 post season continues tonight at the CN Centre. While the task remains a tough one for the Cougars to leap-frog the Tri-City Americans for eighth place, they at least have the comfort of knowing that seven of their final nine games of the season will be played on home ice, and the two road games they do have are in a (relatively) close proximity to home. Tonight, the Cougars will kick off the first of three straight meetings against the Kelowna Rockets, who are not only the top team in the Western Conference, and the CHL, but they are also the likely first round playoff opponent for either the Prince George Cougars or the Tri-City Americans. Simply put, if the Cougars want to get into eighth, they will likely need a victory or two against the top team in the CHL. Obviously it’s no easy task, but nothing good in life ever really comes easy does it?

OVERVIEW:

Ryan Huska’s Kelowna Rockets are literally on top of the CHL world. With a record of 47-8-0-4, the Rockets boast the best overall record in the WHL, and are seven points up on the Portland Winterhawks for the top spot in the West. But considering the fact that Portland has won 17 straight games, the Rockets cannot really afford a hiccup, otherwise they may find themselves sitting second instead of first. Last Friday the Rockets defeated the Cougars 4-2 thanks to some final minute heroics from Rourke Chartier who scored with under 30 seconds remaining to break open a 2-2 tie. It’s another example of the Cougars clinging closely to Kelowna before ultimately losing. You know that the Kelowna Rockets won’t be taking the Cougars lightly. Not even for a single second.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Sophomore forward Rourke Chartier was the man of the hour last Friday night against the Cougars. With the score tied 2-2 and under a minute remaining, Chartier banged home a Nick Merkley rebound in front of the Cougars goal to help secure the victory for the Kelowna Rockets. Chartier had a somewhat slow start to his second season in the league, but has picked up his offensive play as of late. In 59 games, Chartier has 19 goals and 44 points, which is already 14 more than his total from a season ago.

WHO’S ON D:

In five games against the Cougars this season, Rockets defenceman Damon Severson leads all Kelowna skaters with seven points. The New Jersey Devils prospect is having a tremendous two-way season with 12 goals, 50 points and a +39 rating. The New Jersey Devils definitely have a keeper with Severson, and you can bet that as per usual, the Cougars will see a ton of Severson in all types of situations tonight.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

With two games in two nights this weekend, it would appear likely that the Cougars will see both Jordan Cooke and Jackson Whistle between the pipes depending on how things go tonight. It is certainly worth noting that despite the fact that Jordan Cooke is 3-0 against Prince George this season, his numbers are notably worse than Whistle’s. Cooke’s goals-against-average in three games is 3.24 with an .894 save percentage while Whistle is 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against-average and a save percentage of .948.

X-FACTOR:

You don’t become the top team in the CHL by accident. Along the way you need to make your own breaks and in many cases you need to steal some victories from the jaws of defeat. Twice this season the Cougars have been tied with the Rockets late in a game only to have the Rockets score late goals and win. Those types of games and those types of victories do wonders for a team’s character and confidence. Though they may be down, they are never out of a game, and that means that if the Cougars want to win this weekend, they will need to do their best job possible at preventing the Rockets from scrapping and clawing their way back into games.

OVERVIEW:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game only two points back of eighth place in the Western Conference standings. During their recent four game road trip, the Cougars finished 1-2-1-0 having earned a win in Seattle, an OT loss in Kamloops and two losses in regulation to Kelowna and Portland respectively. Now the Cougars are staring the top team in the country in the eye for three consecutive games, and one could make the logical assumption that the Cougars playoff hopes truly lie in the balance over the next four days.

WHO’S UP FRONT:

As good as the Cougars ‘stars’ have been this month, and for the most part this season, the Cougars top tiered forwards are going to have to be all of that and more this weekend. Todd Fiddler brings a 13-game point streak into tonight’s game, while captain Troy Bourke is riding a nine-game streak of his own. How good has Troy Bourke been in February? Try nine goals and 19 points in nine February games which is even higher than Fiddler’s 16 points in nine games to start the new month.

WHO’S ON D:

The Prince George Cougars could have their blueline bolstered tonight by the potential return of 20-year-old veteran Peter Kosterman. The Calgary native has not played in a game since December 2013 and has worked tirelessly over the past two months to recover from a broken jaw. Kosterman will never light the world on fire offensively, but he brings a wealth of experience to an otherwise very young back-end. He’s a game-time decision for tonight, and hopefully his return can help provide the Cougars with a little more defensive strength and success.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Tonight the decision in goal is far from easy as both Ty Edmonds and Adam Beukeboom can make cases for themselves to both warrant a start. Edmonds was excellent in relief of Adam Beukeboom in Sunday in Seattle, and more or less helped steal a win for the Cougars on the road. Despite a poor showing in Seattle, Beukeboom was good for the Cougars on Friday in Kelowna, and did everything he could to give his team a chance that night. Either guy is going to have to bring his ‘A’ game and then some tonight if the Cougars are going to want to defeat the top team in the CHL.

X-FACTOR:

Tonight the Prince George Cougars cannot afford to have one single passenger on their bench. From top to bottom the Cougars need to play with a relentless intensity and will need to make smart and savvy decisions both with and without the puck. The Cougars have proven this season that they can go toe-to-toe with Kelowna, and tonight the Cougars will try and put it all together and secure two points. If the Cougars can play to their strengths and not stand in awe of the Rockets, they could very well be tied for eighth place when all is said and done tonight.