Overview:
Jim Hiller’s Americans are tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings for the top record in the WHL. They head into action tonight with 101 points, and a one point lead on Portland for top spot in the West. They are 8-2-0-0 in their last 10 games and are 49-17-1-2 this season.
Who’s Up Front:
Brendan Shinnimin and Adam Hughesman shined in Sunday’s win for Tri-City. Hughesman had three goals while Shinnimin had two goals and two assists, including the game winner. These are two of the top players in the WHL and they showed on Sunday just how clutch they can be. Shinnimin leads the WHL with 129 points this season.
Who’s on D:
The Americans got a great performance by Justin Feser on the back end on Sunday. Normally a left winger, Feser played defense on Sunday, and drew an assist on the game tying goal by Adam Hughesman. Feser has 37 goals on the season and 77 points, which provides a great compliment to the top trio of Hughesman, Holland and Shinnimin.
Who’s in Goal:
Eric Comrie started Sunday’s game for Tri City, but did not finish it. Instead, Ty Rimmer relieved the young netminder after nine shots and three goals, and stopped everything he faced form then on out. Rimmer was named the WHL goaltender of the week and will likely be the guy who the Cougars face tonight.
X-Factor:
The top three showed on Sunday that they can almost single-handedly win a game for the Americans if they have to. It’ll be important for the Cougars to limit these three by any means necessary. The Cougars did a great job with discipline, holding Tri-City to only two power plays on Sunday. A repeat performance may be necessary to give the Cougars their best shot.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game with a lot to feel good about. They’ve won three of their last five, and have competed extremely hard over the course of these past five games. They can keep their playoff hopes alive tonight with at least a point in tonight’s game, plus some help from the Portland Winterhawks in Victoria. The Cougars trail the Royals by five points with three games left in their regular season.
Who’s Up Front:
Alex Forsberg led the way offensively for the Cougars with a goal and an assist on Sunday. The rookie forward now has 36 points on the season, and could very well get to 40 before all is said and done. Forsberg was not afraid to play physically against Tri-City, and showed some strong confidence at both ends of the ice. Here’s hoping that continues in tonight’s game.
Who’s on D:
Cougars captain Jesse Forsberg knocked home his fourth of the season on Sunday. His fourth goal doubles his previous season-high of two. Forsberg has really shined as of late, and has led by example with the way he plays and the way he conducts himself in all situations. A big night again from the Cougars captain might be needed against the Tri-City Americans tonight.
Who’s in Goal:
Cougars goaltender Drew Owsley made his long-awaited return to the Tri-Cities on Sunday, and was denied of at least one point for his team thanks to the last minute goal by Brendan Shinnimin. There is no doubt that Drew Owsley will be ready to bounce back and give the Cougars a great chance to win tonight’s game as well. He’s been a ‘big game goalie’ his whole career, and tonight he has another chance to win a big one for the Cougars.
X-Factor:
The main thing for the Cougars right now is to stay confident. They deserved better than what they got on Sunday, and they are more than capable of putting up a similar (if not better) performance against the Americans. The Cougars just need to stay true to their systems and do the things that have helped them find success as of late, and that should translate into some success tonight against the Tri-City Americans.
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