Tonight in Prince George the Cougars welcome the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first of two meetings on the season between the two clubs. The Cougars have gone seven straight games without a regulation loss (5-0-2-0 in that span) while the Tigers are coming into this game with a two game winning streak. No team in the WHL has scored more goals than the Tigers so defensive structure and discipline will be major keys tonight as the Cougars embark on a two game home stand.

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS

OVERVIEW:

Record: 10-4-1-0

Road Record: 5-1

Goals For/Goals Against: 71 GF/47 GA

Power Play: 34.2% (1st in WHL)

Penalty Kill: 87.1 (2nd in WHL)

Top Scorers: Mason Shaw (14 GP – 5G – 20A – 25 PTS), Chad Butcher (12GP – 5G – 15A – 20 PTS), Matt Bradley (15GP – 6G – 10A – 16 PTS)

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Mason Shaw: Leads the WHL in scoring with 25 points. He’s got 11 power play assists and is riding a seven game point streak heading into tonight. Over his seven game point streak, Shaw has three goals and 13 assists for 16 points.

Chad Butcher: Had a goal and three assists last Saturday in Edmonton which ended up as a 7-3 victory for the Tigers. He had 74 points in 71 games last season with the Tigers and is off to a great start offensively this season with five goals and 20 assists in 12 games.

WHO’S ON D:

David Quenneville: Leads all Tigers defencemen with eight goals and is currently on a point-per-game pace with eight goals and five assists for 13 points in 13 games. He’s a draft pick of the New York Islanders.

Clayton Kirichenko: Leads all Tiger blueliners in defensive scoring with a goal and 13 assists and 14 points.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Nick Schneider: In 12 games Schneider has put together a great record of 9-2-1-0 with a 2.66 goals-against average and a ,913 save percentage. He’s a signed prospect with the Calgary Flames.

X-FACTOR:

Special Teams: Through 15 games their power play is clicking at over 34 percent. Simply put: You take penalties against the Tigers and you. will. pay.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

OVERVIEW:

Record: 13-2-2-0

Home Record: 5-2-1-0

Goals For/Goals Against: 60 GF/42 GA

Power Play: 20.5% (11th in WHL)

Penalty Kill: 87.3% (3rd in WHL)

Leading Scorers: Brad Morrison (16GP – 7G – 13A – 20 PTS), Jesse Gabrielle (11GP – 6G – 8A – 14 PTS), Jansen Harkins (11GP – 4G – 10A – 14 PTS)

WHO’S UP FRONT:

Yan Khomenko: With a goal Saturday in Calgary he officially surpassed his point total from a season ago in Everett. It took him 31 fewer games.

Josh Curtis: Had a game tying goal in the third period which helped force overtime. The 18-year-old sophomore now has  three goals and five assists for eight points this season.

WHO’S ON D:

Sam Ruopp: Should see a lot of minutes tonight against the likes of Mason Shaw and Chad Butcher. Ruopp has shown time and time again that he can be depended on to keep top scorers at bay, and he’ll have his hands full tonight.

WHO’S IN GOAL:

Ty Edmonds: For the season Ty Edmonds has been nothing short of spectacular sporting a 9-1-1-0 record with a 2.07 goals-against-average and a .924 save percentage. He’ll get the nod tonight and is 4-0-1-0 in his last five starts.

X-FACTOR:

Discipline: If you take penalties against the Medicine Hat Tigers, you. will. pay. On the other side of the coin, the Cougars power play struggled in Calgary going zero-for-seven. It would be a big boost to their confidence if they can get some power play success tonight at home.