Cougars - Silvertips Preview.

Firstly I'd like to take a recognize those who bravely have fought for our freedoms and those who continue to do so on a daily basis. Without our troops we may not get to enjoy some of the joys and freedoms that we quite often take for granted. Please take a few minutes today to remember those who have fought for us all.

Now that that's been said, here's the preview for tonight's game.

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Tonight marks the first meeting of the 2011-2012 season between the Prince George Cougars and the Everett Silvertips. These teams are strikingly similar in a lot of ways, and there is no under-estimating the importance of points this weekend.



Overview:

Mark Ferner’s Everett Silvertips have lost five straight games, and are currently fifth in the U.S. Division. The Silvertips come into tonight’s contest with a record of 4-13-0-3.



Who’s Up Front:

With forward Tyler Maxwell in limbo awaiting a trade, the offensive responsibility is now on the shoulders of 20-year-old right-winger josh Birkbholz. Last season Birkholz managed 29 points, and has already reached the 20-point-mark this season.



Who’s on D:

With defenceman Ryan Murray still battling an injury the Prince George Cougars can expect to see a lot 20-year-old Brennan Yadlowski. Yadlowski has tallied eight points this season, and has provided Mark Ferner with reliable minutes.



Who’s in Goal:

19-year-old Kent Simpson has seen a bulk of the goaltending duty so far this season for Everett. Simpson’s record is 4-10-0-2 but his numbers are strong. His goals against is 3.61 but his save percentage is at .910. The other goaltending option for Everett is 16-year-old Austin Lotz. Lotz is still searching for win number one in his WHL career, and he may get that opportunity either tonight or tomorrow for the Tips.



X-Factor:

19-year-old Ryan Harrison is a player who has managed a very productive WHL career to this point. Harrison has 150 career points, and has nine this season with Everett. With the absence of Maxwell and Murray, a guy like Harrison will need to be a bigger factor for Everett if they want to win tonight.







Overview:

Dean Clark’s team is coming off a 3-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg each had a goal and an assist while Devon Fordyce earned his first WHL Victory in Goal. The Cougars record is 5-12-0-1 through 18 games.



Who’s Up Front:

The trio of Troy Bourke, Alex Forsberg and Spencer Asuchak had a breakout game Saturday against Kamloops. All three got on the score-sheet, and as the game wore on, it seemed like their chemistry was building. Asuchak provides the size and muscle for the likes of Bourke and Forsberg who are gifted play-makers.



Who’s on D:

What a difference it was for the Cougars having all of their defenceman healthy and able to play on Saturday. Martin Marincin’s return to the lineup made the Cougars instantly better on the man-advantage, and I look for Marincin to be a big factor this weekend. The 19-year-old Slovak blueliner has eight points this season.



Who’s in Goal:

Given that there are three games in three nights upcoming for the Cougars I would expect to see both Drew Owsley and Devon Fordyce get some playing time. Drew Owsley is 4-10-0-1 on the season while Fordyce is 1-2.



X-Factor:

When the Prince George Cougars are disciplined they are successful. It seems like a no-brainer, but it’s especially important for the Cougars to come out tonight and play a disciplined, smart game. They’ve had success on the road when they’ve blocked shots and stayed responsible defensively. If they do that tonight, they’ll be just fine.