The longest homestand of the Prince George Cougars season continues tonight at the CN Centre when the Cougars welcome the WHL’s top ranked team, the Kelowna Rockets for the third time this season. So far this season, the Rockets have run roughshod over much of the WHL’s opposition throughout this season, including two convincing victories against the Prince George Cougars earlier this season. But the Cougars are a much different team than the one that faced Kelowna on home ice in late September. In fact since the Cougars last faced the Rockets, they’ve put up a record of 10-6. What’s going to happen this weekend? Time will shortly tell.

KELOWNA ROCKETS

Overview:

Dan Lambert’s Kelowna Rockets come into tonight’s game with a league-high 18 victories through their first 20 games.  The Rockets are unbeaten in regulation in each of their past nine games are already 15 points ahead of the next highest team (The Cougars) in the B.C. Division standings. They’ve scored the most goals out of any team in the Western Conference and they have surrendered the second fewest amount of goals next to the Everett Silvertips. This is a team that doesn’t just ‘hope’ to win, but they ‘expect’ to win every time they take the ice.

Who’s Up Front:

The Kelowna Rockets boast a ton of offensively depth which this season has been highlighted by Nick Merkley and Rourke Chartier. The 17-year-old Merkley is in his draft year, and leads the WHL with 36 points in 20 games while the third year forward Rourke Chartier leads the WHL with 20 goals and is second in points with 34. Merkley has 11 points in his past five games while Chartier has tallied goals in eight straight games. If the Cougars are going to have success this weekend, these two will need to be kept in check as best as possible.

Who’s on D:

Not only do the Kelowna Rockets boast the two top scoring forwards in the WHL but they also have the league’s highest scoring defenceman, Madison Bowey. The 19-year-old Washington Capitals prospect leads all WHL blueliners with 26 points in just 17 games played. He’s also second in the entire league in plus-minus (+20) behind only teammates Rourke Chartier  (+21). Not only is Bowey tremendously effective offensively, but he’s also a stalwart defensively and can log key minutes for his team in any situation imaginable.

Who’s in Goal:

19-year-old goaltender Jackson Whistle comes into this weekend with a 2.12 goals-against-average which is the lowest in the entire league. His record of 15-1-1 is complimented by a .925 save percentage and three shutouts. Behind Whistle there are two younger goaltenders:  18-year-old Michael Herringer and 17-year-old Jake Morrissey, both of whom have played in two games this season. Is this the weekend where we see either of the younger netminders?

X-Factor:

Special teams also happens to be a glaring strength of the Rockets who bring the WHL’s top power play and the fifth best penalty kill to the CN Centre this weekend. The Prince George Cougars coaching staff often preaches discipline and attention to detail defensively, and both of those areas are going to be crucial to any success the Cougars have this weekend at home.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Overview:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars are coming off a weekend split with the Victoria Royals last week at the CN Centre. Despite Saturday’s loss, the Cougars have won four of their past five games, and are still right in the thick of things in the B.C. Division with an 11-9 record. Once again the Cougars are going to find themselves a little shorthanded tonight as a handful of key regulars will be out of the lineup, but again this type of situation provides some of the younger players to step up and make a positive contribution.

Who’s Up Front:

Make it seven straight games with at least one point for Cougars sophomore forward Brad Morrison. The shifty 17-year-old is really starting to find a rhythm offensively, and hard work has a lot to do with it. Morrison has always had the offensive tools, and now we’re starting to see some steady production and effort, which is great to see. Hopefully this weekend Morrison can continue on that right path, and be a key contributor at both ends of the ice for the Cougars as they face the Rockets.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Cougars (as a whole) will need to be better tonight than they were last Saturday against the Victoria Royals. Over their past five games, there have definitely been more positives than negatives back there, but tonight against the Rockets the Cougars will need to play with composure and patience, because the Rockets will make you pay quickly if glaring mistakes are made. The Cougars will be bolstered by the return of Josh Anderson who is back in Prince George after representing Canada at the World Under-17’s earlier this month.

Who’s in Goal:

Jared Rathjen got his first taste of action in 2014-15 on Saturday when he came into the game relieving Ty Edmonds in the second period. Rathjen stopped 14 of the 16 shots he faced, including four or five tremendous saves in the late stages of the second when Victoria was really pressing. Does that mean that he’ll be making his first start as a Cougar tonight? Only time will tell. But regardless of whether it’s Jared Rathjen, Ty Edmonds or Tavin Grant, goaltending will be of the utmost importance if the Cougars want to upset the Rockets.

X-Factor:

One of the biggest factors for the Cougars this weekend will be ‘belief.’ It’s easy to look at the team across from you and think about all of their strengths. But the only predictable thing about the WHL is how unpredictable it can be. The Cougars are absolutely 100 percent capable of playing with and defeating the Kelowna Rockets, but in order to do so they’ll need to play to their strengths. Finish checks, block shots, avoid costly penalties and take advantage of your chances when you get them. Key saves will also be crucial. It’s going to take a full 20-man effort and then some tonight for the Cougars, but it’s certainly possible. What better test for this young Cougars team than to measure themselves against one of the elite teams this weekend. Hopefully fans will take advantage of this great opportunity.