After wrapping up a modest two-game home stand with a 2-1 victory Saturday over Saskatoon, Richard Matvichuk’s Cougars find themselves back on the road for a stretch of three games in four nights, all against Central Division foes. Tonight the Cougars can extend their regulation unbeaten streak to five games with a victory against a Kootenay Ice club that’s looking to snap a six game losing streak.

KOOTENAY ICE

OVERVIEW:

Record: 1-7-3-1

Home Record: 0-3-3-0

Goals For/Goals Against: 29 GF/50 GA

Power Play: 16.2% (16th in WHL)

Penalty Kill: 78.2% (14th in WHL)

Leading Scorers: Zak Zborosky (12GP – 10G – 2A – 12PTS), Matt Alfaro (12GP – 4G – 6A – 10 PTS), Cale Fleury (12GP – 1G – 5A – 6PTS)

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Zak Zborosky: The 20-year-0ld the undisputed offensive leader for the Ice. His 10 goals is second in the WHL and tops on the team. Last season he led the Ice with 32 goals.

Matt Alfaro: The fellow 20-year-old is the yin to Zborosky’s yang. He’s got four goals and 10 points through 12 games and is going to be a threat to produce almost every time he’s on the ice alongside Zborosky.

WHO’S ON D:

Cale Fleury: Sits third in team scoring with a goal and five assists. He’ll log the most minutes of any of Kootenay’s defenders. Now in his draft year, Fleury is a lock to hear his name called in the early rounds of the 2017 NHL Draft.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Payton Lee: The 20-year-old Cranbrook native is very familiar with the Cougars having spent most of his career with the Vancouver Giants. So far this season with the Ice, he’s 1-1-3-1 with an impressive 2.87 goals-against-average and a .929 save percentage. He’s missed a few games recently with injury, but should be good to go tonight.

X-FACTOR:

Get a Lead and Keep It: With the way Payton Lee has played this season, if he’s given a lead he’ll give his team every opportunity to win the game. Given Kootenay’s recent struggles, getting an early lead would also bode well for their confidence as they look to become just the second team to defeat the Cougars in regulation this season.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

OVERVIEW:

Record: 11-2-1-0

Road Record: 6-0

Goals For/Goals Against: 51 GF/36 GA

Power Play: 23.0% (9th in WHL)

Penalty Kill: 89.1% (1st in WHL)

Leading Scorers: Brad Morrison (13GP – 6G – 11A – 17PTS), Jared Bethune (14GP – 5G – 8A – 13PTS), Jesse Gabrielle (8GP – 6G – 6A – 12PTS)

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Brad Morrison: Had both goals for the Cougars in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Saskatoon. He’s got points in each of his last three games and sits first in team scoring heading into tonight’s game.

Jesse Gabrielle: Is riding a four game point streak heading into tonight. During that span he’s got three goals and four assists.

WHO’S ON D:

Sam Ruopp: Has a goal and four assists through 10 games and has logged a ton of big minutes against the opposing team’s top players. Expect him to be on the ice against the likes of Alfaro and Zborosky when possible.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Nick McBride: Gets the start tonight in place of Ty Edmonds who has started the previous four straight games for the Cougars. McBride’s last appearance was on Wednesday, October 12th against Everett and tonight he’ll look to bounce back. His record is still an impressive 3-1.

X-FACTOR:

Road Swagger: The Cougars are 6-0 on the road this season because they’ve been able to simplify their game and have gotten off to some great starts. Tonight they’ll need more of the same as they get set to battle a hungry and inspired Kootenay Ice team that would love to end the Cougars road winning ways.