The Prince George Cougars continue their lengthy B.C. Division road swing with their third game of a four game trip. So far their travels have taken them to Kelowna (a 5-2 loss) and Vancouver (a 3-1 win). Now tonight for the first time this season the Prince George Cougars will clash with their closest, and arguably their greatest WHL rivals, the Kamloops Blazers. It’s always a war when these two teams get together, and tonight promises to be no exception.

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

Overview:

Don Hay’s Kamloops Blazers currently hold a 3-8 record through 11 games. Their six points has them ranked 10^th in the Western Conference and fifth in the B.C. Division. But after starting their season with seven consecutive defeats the Blazers have responded with three victories in their past five games. Most recently the Blazers dropped a 4-2 score to the Calgary Hitmen last Friday night at home. Last season the Blazers were 3-4-0-1 against the Cougars and 3-1 against them in games played at Sandman Centre.

Who’s Up Front:

One of new GM Stu MacGregor’s first moves upon arriving in Kamloops was acquiring 20-year-old forward Gage Quinney away from the Kelowna Rockets. Since joining the Blazers Quinney has registered two goals and four assists in four games and currently ranks atop the Blazers in scoring with 13 points in nine games. 18-year-old sophomore Jesse Zaharichuk has also had an ice start to the season posting 10 points in nine games.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Blazers are led by the tandem of veteran Ryan Rehill and second year pivot Dawson Davidson. Rehill, a New Jersey Devils prospect won’t wow you offensively, but he’s mean and he’s tough. Davidson was a third round selection of the Blazers in 2013 and had a strong rookie campaign a season ago. Both lead the Blazers blueline with five points each, and each guy can play in all situations. Rehill leads all Blazers with 34 penalty minutes, which is far and away the highest total in the team.

Who’s in Goal:

18-year-old netminder Connor Ingram has seen a bulk of the workload up to this point in goal for the Blazers. In nine games this season Ingram is 3-5 with an .881 save percentage and a 3.69 goals-against-average. Lifetime against the Cougars Ingram is 3-2-0-1 with a 2.65 goals-against-average and a .922 save percentage. Towards the end of last season, Ingram was getting plenty of NHL draft consideration and despite not being selected, Ingram showed that he’s the type of goaltender that can steal wins for his team. The Cougars will need to test him early and often here tonight.

X-Factor:

After missing a lengthy period of time with an illness, Anaheim Ducks prospect Deven Sideroff is back and is healthy for the Blazers. When Sideroff is at his best, he might be one of the fastest (if not the fastest) skater in the the WHL. His speed is his greatest asset and he uses it well. Last season he notched 17 goals and added 25 assists for 42 points. He had two goals and two assists in seven meetings against the Cougars a season ago. He’s arguably the top game breaker in the Blazers lineup and the Cougars will need to keep him contained if they hope to be successful on the road.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Overview:

Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars are coming into tonight’s game with a 6-5 record on the season. Their 12 points has them ranked third in the B.C. Division and fourth overall in the Western Conference. The Cougars are coming off a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon in Vancouver, and a win tonight would give the Cougars four wins in their last five games altogether. Last season the Cougars were 5-3 against Kamloops but only managed the one victory away from home against them.

Who’s Up Front:

After posting five goals and two assists in four games last week it’s no surprise that Cougars forward Jesse Gabrielle was named WHL Player of the Week. The pride of Moosomin, SK leads all Cougars with nine goals and 11 points and he’s had a very strong well-rounded start to his season. Gabrielle has looked terrific alongside Brogan O’Brien and Sunday they were joined by 20-year-old forward Chase Witala and clicked for two of the team’s three goals. A big game from Gabrielle and company would go a long way tonight for Prince George as they look to keep their road success going.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Cougars were full marks on Sunday in Vancouver. They held a potent Vancouver attack to just one goal against and despite surrendering 41 shots against, the Cougars felt good about their structure and their attention to details in their own end. Once again a lot of the onus defensively tonight will be on the shoulders of Josh Anderson and Sam Ruopp. They are a combined +14 so far on the season, and will most likely see a bulk of the minutes against the Blazers top forwards like Quinney, Sideroff, Needham, etc. In all six of the Cougars victories this season, defense has been a major strength and moving forward that will continue to be a key trend for the Cougars.

Who’s in Goal:

With 40 saves on 41 shots faced Sunday in Vancouver, Ty Edmonds continues to put up terrific numbers this season for the Prince George Cougars. Though his record is just 3-3, his save percentage of .948 and his goals-against-average of 1.77 are the second best totals in each category in the entire WHL. Last season against Kamloops, Edmonds was 5-2 and he finished with a .918 save percentage and a 2.83 goals-against-average. The biggest thing for Ty Edmonds is that he’s giving his team a chance to win every single night he starts and that’s really all you can ask for if you’re Prince George.

X-Factor:

For the Prince George Cougars tonight, the message remains the same. Play physical, disciplined and smart defensive hockey and you’re going to give yourself a chance to win. If the Cougars are going to contend for a top two spot in the B.C. Division, it will be essential over the course of the season for the Cougars to defeat the teams below them consistently in the standings. The Blazers 3-8 record is in indicative of their talent or their work ethic, and the last thing the Cougars can afford to do is to take their division rivals lightly. A complete effort combined with timely scoring and goaltending should give the Cougars a terrific chance to win tonight in Kamloops.