For the first time this season, the Seattle Thunderbirds were able to solve the Prince George Cougars. Luke Lockhart scored at 14:05 of the second period to break a 1-1 tie and the Seattle Thunderbirds secured a 3-1 victory against Prince George. Austin Daae had the lone goal for the Cougars in response.
It was a scoreless tie after 20 minutes, but the Cougars definitely led the way in chances. Jake Mykitiuk was robbed by Calvin Pickard mid-way through the first period. Seattle took a 12-7 edge in the shot department into period two.
The Cougars opened the scoring at 3:27 of the second period. Calvin Pickard stopped a Jake Mykitiuk shot, but Austin Daae was able to stuff the puck home from the side of the goal for his second of the season. The referees did go upstairs to confirm the goal, and it counted.
15 seconds later Seattle scored a strange one of their own. Brad Deagle put a shot towards the goal from the left-point, and his shot redirected off of the upper-body of a Cougars defender and in past Drew Owsley. For Deagle it was his third of the year, and it evened the score at one.
Luke Lockhart scored the eventual game-winner off a one-timer in the high slot at 14:55. The Cougars were unable to clear the puck, and Colin Jacobs found Lockhart at the side for his 13th goal of the season.
The Cougars had some chances in the third, but were unable to solve Calvin Pickard.
Seattle extended their lead at 11:01 of the third when Connor Sanvido raced down the right wing and beat Drew Owsley with a wrist-shot. Sanvido’s seventh of the season put the game away for Seattle who earned their 22nd victory of the season and defeated the Cougars for the first time in the 2011-2012 season. The Cougars record falls to 20-44-0-2 and they are now five points back of eighth place with six games remaining in their regular season.
Both teams were scoreless on the man advantage while Seattle outshot the Cougars 26-22 through sixty minutes.
Next up: The rematch. These teams will duke it out again tomorrow (Wednesday) night at CN Centre.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Cougars - Thunderbirds Preview
The Prince George Cougars and Seattle Thunderbirds will renew acquaintances tonight and tomorrow at CN Centre. These teams last faced off on Friday, December 9th in Seattle, where the Cougars delivered a 1-0 victory. The Cougars are 2-0-0-0 against Seattle this season, and will likely need two more victories in order to keep pace with Everett and Victoria in the Western Conference.
Overview:
The Seattle Thunderbirds head into tonight’s game with a 2-8-0-0 record in their last 10 games. Steve Konowalchuk’s team has lost four straight, and they currently hold a two-point edge on the Cougars for ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The Thunderbirds are 21-41-1-1 this season.
Who’s Up Front:
Leading the way up front for Seattle is 20-year-old forward Burke Gallimore. The 20-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta leads the T-Birds with 38 points in 64 games played this season. With 20 goals, Gallimore leads the team, and this season marks the second year in a row that he has been able to eclipse the 20-goal mark.
Who’s on D:
16-year-old defenceman Shea Theodore leads the T-Birds blueliners with 28 points on the year. Theodore is a strong skater, and moves the puck extremely well from the back-end. Only Dave Sutter (four goals) has scored more goals than Theodore from the back-end.
Who’s in Goal:
Cougars fans will be treated to a fine display of goaltending this week from both Drew Owsley and Seattle netminder Calvin Pickard. The WHL career save leader has recorded all 21 victories for Seattle this season. He’s got a goals against average of 3.53 and a save percentage of .908.
X-Factor:
Special teams are going to be a big factor this week for both teams. Heading into tonight’s game, the Seattle Thunderbirds have the league’s second-worst power play percentage of 15.0. If the T-Birds want to find success on the road, they’ll likely need some help from their power play. If they can get that, they’ll certainly put up a strong fight against the Cougars.
Overview:
Dean Clark’s Prince George Cougars are coming off a 4-3 overtime victory against Spokane. The victory helped snap a seven game losing streak for the Cougars, and even though the Cougars have seen some lofty ups-and-downs this season, they still remain within striking distance of eighth place in the Western Conference. The Cougars are 20-43-0-2 and are two points back of Seattle for ninth in the West.
Who’s Up Front:
17-year-old draft eligible forward Troy Bourke continues to lead the Cougars offensively this season. Bourke had three points in Saturday’s victory against Spokane, and now has 48 points through 64 games this season. Bourke has eight points in his last eight games overall, and seems to find success with whoever he is lined up with. Saturday it was Caleb Belter and Chase Witala. We’ll see if Bourke can continue his push towards 50 points tonight.
Who’s on D:
Both Cody Carlson and Reid Jackson had multi-point nights on Saturday against Spokane, and all of a sudden this new-look pairing for the Cougars appears to be gelling. Cody Carlson had the game-winner on Saturday, and continues to be a consistent performer. Reid Jackson has had an up-and-down season due to injuries, but now appears healthy and has contributed greatly over the past handful of games.
Who’s in Goal:
Cougars goaltender Drew Owsley always seems to bring his best against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Owsley is 14-2-0-0 lifetime against Seattle with a save percentage of .911 against them. Fans should come to the rink for the goaltending matchup alone this week between Drew Owsley and Calvin Pickard.
X-Factor:
The Prince George Cougars power play exploded on Saturday with three goals and all of a sudden the Cougars appear to have a little confidence on the man-advantage. The Cougars power play is still ranked 22nd in the league, but if the power play can heat up down the stretch, it will greatly help the Cougars push towards eighth place.
Overview:
The Seattle Thunderbirds head into tonight’s game with a 2-8-0-0 record in their last 10 games. Steve Konowalchuk’s team has lost four straight, and they currently hold a two-point edge on the Cougars for ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The Thunderbirds are 21-41-1-1 this season.
Who’s Up Front:
Leading the way up front for Seattle is 20-year-old forward Burke Gallimore. The 20-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta leads the T-Birds with 38 points in 64 games played this season. With 20 goals, Gallimore leads the team, and this season marks the second year in a row that he has been able to eclipse the 20-goal mark.
Who’s on D:
16-year-old defenceman Shea Theodore leads the T-Birds blueliners with 28 points on the year. Theodore is a strong skater, and moves the puck extremely well from the back-end. Only Dave Sutter (four goals) has scored more goals than Theodore from the back-end.
Who’s in Goal:
Cougars fans will be treated to a fine display of goaltending this week from both Drew Owsley and Seattle netminder Calvin Pickard. The WHL career save leader has recorded all 21 victories for Seattle this season. He’s got a goals against average of 3.53 and a save percentage of .908.
X-Factor:
Special teams are going to be a big factor this week for both teams. Heading into tonight’s game, the Seattle Thunderbirds have the league’s second-worst power play percentage of 15.0. If the T-Birds want to find success on the road, they’ll likely need some help from their power play. If they can get that, they’ll certainly put up a strong fight against the Cougars.
Overview:
Dean Clark’s Prince George Cougars are coming off a 4-3 overtime victory against Spokane. The victory helped snap a seven game losing streak for the Cougars, and even though the Cougars have seen some lofty ups-and-downs this season, they still remain within striking distance of eighth place in the Western Conference. The Cougars are 20-43-0-2 and are two points back of Seattle for ninth in the West.
Who’s Up Front:
17-year-old draft eligible forward Troy Bourke continues to lead the Cougars offensively this season. Bourke had three points in Saturday’s victory against Spokane, and now has 48 points through 64 games this season. Bourke has eight points in his last eight games overall, and seems to find success with whoever he is lined up with. Saturday it was Caleb Belter and Chase Witala. We’ll see if Bourke can continue his push towards 50 points tonight.
Who’s on D:
Both Cody Carlson and Reid Jackson had multi-point nights on Saturday against Spokane, and all of a sudden this new-look pairing for the Cougars appears to be gelling. Cody Carlson had the game-winner on Saturday, and continues to be a consistent performer. Reid Jackson has had an up-and-down season due to injuries, but now appears healthy and has contributed greatly over the past handful of games.
Who’s in Goal:
Cougars goaltender Drew Owsley always seems to bring his best against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Owsley is 14-2-0-0 lifetime against Seattle with a save percentage of .911 against them. Fans should come to the rink for the goaltending matchup alone this week between Drew Owsley and Calvin Pickard.
X-Factor:
The Prince George Cougars power play exploded on Saturday with three goals and all of a sudden the Cougars appear to have a little confidence on the man-advantage. The Cougars power play is still ranked 22nd in the league, but if the power play can heat up down the stretch, it will greatly help the Cougars push towards eighth place.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Siwak Named Player of the Month.
Cougars fans have chosen Daulton Siwak as the Hubbell Designer Goldsmiths Player of the Month for February. Siwak recorded five goals and eight points for the Cougars during the month of February. His February highlight took place on Friday, February 10th when he scored twice and added an assist during the Prince George Cougars 5-4 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Since joining the Cougars on December 29th in a trade with Red Deer, Siwak has scored 10 goals, which leads the team for the second-half of the season.
Fans voted in an online poll at www.pgcougars.com, with Siwak receiving 37 percent of the votes. Siwak will be honoured on the red carpet on Tuesday, March 6th when the Cougars take on the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Each month the Hubbell Designer Goldsmiths Player of the Month, as chosen by the Prince George Cougars fans, will receive a gift certificate for Shogun courtesy of Hubbell Designer Goldsmiths. At the end of the season fans will have the opportunity to vote for each of the five finalists to take the title as Player of the Month. The winner of that vote will receive a 14k handcrafted gold ring courtesy of Darrell Hubbell at Hubbell Designer Goldsmiths.
To vote for the Hubbell Designer Goldsmiths Player of the Month for March visit the Cougars website at www.pgcougars.com.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Cougars Down the Chiefs in O.T.
The Prince George Cougars are still in the mix for the top eight of the Western Conference thanks to a 4-3 overtime victory on Saturday against Spokane. Cody Carlson scored the winner 18 seconds into the extra period, and Troy Bourke paced the Cougars with three assists in the victory. The Cougars power play was three-for-five.
The Spokane Chiefs drew first blood on a power play marker of their own. Mitch Holmberg potted his 26th of the season on a five-on-three man advantage to give his team the early lead.
Shortly past the mid-way point of the first, the Cougars got it back on a power play of their own. Caleb Belter whacked home a rebound for his sixth of the season, making it 1-1. Troy Bourke and Cody Carlson drew the assists.
Early in the second, Spokane took their lead back when Dominik Uher beat Drew Owsley for his 29th goal of the season.
This time there would be no second-period collapse though. Linden Springer evened the score at 6:55 of the second after he put home his own rebound for his second of the year. Both of Springer’s goals this season have come against the Spokane Chiefs.
Chase Witala gave the Cougars their first lead when he put home a Troy Bourke pass on a two-on-one. Witala’s seventh gave the Cats a 3-2 lead heading into the mid-way portion of the period.
Corbin Baldwin evened the score when he scored from the left-point. Baldwin’s shot went off of the Cougars defense and in past Drew Owsley and the score was 3-3 after 40.
The third period solved nothing, and overtime was needed.
Prince George started over-time on a power play as Spokane was assessed a too-many-men penalty with just 16 seconds left in regulation.
18-seconds into overtime, Cody Carlson one-timed a Troy Bourke pass by Eric Williams for his ninth of the season.
The victory gives the Cougars a record of 20-43-0-2 and they manage to stay five points back of Everett for eighth place in the West.
Prince George finished three-for-five on the power play, and were outshot 37-28.
Next up: Two huge games at home against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Spokane Chiefs drew first blood on a power play marker of their own. Mitch Holmberg potted his 26th of the season on a five-on-three man advantage to give his team the early lead.
Shortly past the mid-way point of the first, the Cougars got it back on a power play of their own. Caleb Belter whacked home a rebound for his sixth of the season, making it 1-1. Troy Bourke and Cody Carlson drew the assists.
Early in the second, Spokane took their lead back when Dominik Uher beat Drew Owsley for his 29th goal of the season.
This time there would be no second-period collapse though. Linden Springer evened the score at 6:55 of the second after he put home his own rebound for his second of the year. Both of Springer’s goals this season have come against the Spokane Chiefs.
Chase Witala gave the Cougars their first lead when he put home a Troy Bourke pass on a two-on-one. Witala’s seventh gave the Cats a 3-2 lead heading into the mid-way portion of the period.
Corbin Baldwin evened the score when he scored from the left-point. Baldwin’s shot went off of the Cougars defense and in past Drew Owsley and the score was 3-3 after 40.
The third period solved nothing, and overtime was needed.
Prince George started over-time on a power play as Spokane was assessed a too-many-men penalty with just 16 seconds left in regulation.
18-seconds into overtime, Cody Carlson one-timed a Troy Bourke pass by Eric Williams for his ninth of the season.
The victory gives the Cougars a record of 20-43-0-2 and they manage to stay five points back of Everett for eighth place in the West.
Prince George finished three-for-five on the power play, and were outshot 37-28.
Next up: Two huge games at home against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cougars - Chiefs Preview (Part Two)
The Prince George Cougars and Spokane Chiefs will meet tonight for the final time during the regular season. So far the Cougars are 2-1-0-0 against the Chiefs. The road team has won every game so far during this season series, and the Cougars are hoping to end that trend tonight in front of their home crowd.
Overview:
Don Nachbaur’s Spokane Chiefs have won three straight games, and are now back in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They head into action tonight one point ahead of the Vancouver Giants. The Chiefs are 35-22-4-3 overall this season.
Who’s Up Front:
Only one Chiefs forward registered more than a point in last night’s 4-1 victory and it was 18-year-old Mike Aviani. The product of Surrey, B.C. recorded two assists and has put up 42 points through 62 games this season for Spokane.
Who’s on D:
Spokane defenceman Davis Vandane was named the game’s first star last night for his efforts at both ends of the ice. The Yorkton, Saskatchewan native assisted on the game-winning goal, and provided the Chiefs with quality minutes. His size, poise and patience were on full display last night, and the Cougars will need to key in on Vandane and also the likes of Brenden Kichton and Corbin Baldwin on the back-end.
Who’s in Goal:
The Spokane Chiefs got reliable goaltending last night from Mac Engel who became the first Spokane goalie this season to defeat the Cougars. He stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced, and had to make some tough saves late in the game to keep his team ahead by three. No word yet on whether Engel will go again for Spokane, but it would be hard to argue against it.
X-Factor:
The Spokane Chiefs proved last night that they are not afraid to involve their defense in the offense. The first two goals from the Chiefs were a direct result of their defencemen making great plays to set up goals. The Cougars will need to protect the lanes a little better tonight and minimize the effectiveness of the Spokane blueliners.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Cougars now find themselves five points out of eighth place in the Western Conference standings, and with only eight games remaining, time is starting to run out for the Cougars. A win tonight would put them right back into striking distance with two big matchups looming against Seattle on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Who’s Up Front:
Cougars forward Troy Bourke found the score-sheet again last night with an assist on Daulton Siwak’s first period goal. Bourke leads the Cougars with 45 points through 63 games, and has been one of the team’s most consistent players all season long. With Daulton Siwak’s status uncertain for tonight, even more of an onus will be played on Troy Bourke and his linemates to create offense against a tough Spokane team who doesn’t give up a whole lot.
Who’s on D:
Reid Jackson has certainly gained a lot of positive attention as of late for his play on defense for the Prince George Cougars. While Jackson’s numbers aren’t flashy, his steady play has been a huge asset for the Cougars. Jackson was used as a shut-down guy earlier this week against Medicine Hat, and was used alongside Cody Carlson for a large majority of last night’s game with Spokane. If Jackson can bring another strong effort tonight, it bodes well for the Cougars.
Who’s in Goal:
Drew Owsley turned aside 34 shots on 38 attempts last night for the Cougars, and certainly played well enough to earn another start tonight. But with two must-win games against Seattle coming up, perhaps this game tonight opens up the door for Devon Fordyce to get the call. Whoever goes for the Cougars tonight will need to be at their best, and perhaps steal a victory to help snap this losing skid.
X-Factor:
The Prince George Cougars must receive secondary scoring tonight if they hope to be victorious. Troy Bourke and his linemates have been the most steady point producers as of late, and tonight perhaps more than ever, the rest of the forward corps will need to elevate their game and convert on the chances that they get. If the Cougars can head into the third period either tied for the lead or ahead, they’ll give themselves a great opportunity to win tonight.
Overview:
Don Nachbaur’s Spokane Chiefs have won three straight games, and are now back in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They head into action tonight one point ahead of the Vancouver Giants. The Chiefs are 35-22-4-3 overall this season.
Who’s Up Front:
Only one Chiefs forward registered more than a point in last night’s 4-1 victory and it was 18-year-old Mike Aviani. The product of Surrey, B.C. recorded two assists and has put up 42 points through 62 games this season for Spokane.
Who’s on D:
Spokane defenceman Davis Vandane was named the game’s first star last night for his efforts at both ends of the ice. The Yorkton, Saskatchewan native assisted on the game-winning goal, and provided the Chiefs with quality minutes. His size, poise and patience were on full display last night, and the Cougars will need to key in on Vandane and also the likes of Brenden Kichton and Corbin Baldwin on the back-end.
Who’s in Goal:
The Spokane Chiefs got reliable goaltending last night from Mac Engel who became the first Spokane goalie this season to defeat the Cougars. He stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced, and had to make some tough saves late in the game to keep his team ahead by three. No word yet on whether Engel will go again for Spokane, but it would be hard to argue against it.
X-Factor:
The Spokane Chiefs proved last night that they are not afraid to involve their defense in the offense. The first two goals from the Chiefs were a direct result of their defencemen making great plays to set up goals. The Cougars will need to protect the lanes a little better tonight and minimize the effectiveness of the Spokane blueliners.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game looking to snap a seven-game losing streak. The Cougars now find themselves five points out of eighth place in the Western Conference standings, and with only eight games remaining, time is starting to run out for the Cougars. A win tonight would put them right back into striking distance with two big matchups looming against Seattle on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Who’s Up Front:
Cougars forward Troy Bourke found the score-sheet again last night with an assist on Daulton Siwak’s first period goal. Bourke leads the Cougars with 45 points through 63 games, and has been one of the team’s most consistent players all season long. With Daulton Siwak’s status uncertain for tonight, even more of an onus will be played on Troy Bourke and his linemates to create offense against a tough Spokane team who doesn’t give up a whole lot.
Who’s on D:
Reid Jackson has certainly gained a lot of positive attention as of late for his play on defense for the Prince George Cougars. While Jackson’s numbers aren’t flashy, his steady play has been a huge asset for the Cougars. Jackson was used as a shut-down guy earlier this week against Medicine Hat, and was used alongside Cody Carlson for a large majority of last night’s game with Spokane. If Jackson can bring another strong effort tonight, it bodes well for the Cougars.
Who’s in Goal:
Drew Owsley turned aside 34 shots on 38 attempts last night for the Cougars, and certainly played well enough to earn another start tonight. But with two must-win games against Seattle coming up, perhaps this game tonight opens up the door for Devon Fordyce to get the call. Whoever goes for the Cougars tonight will need to be at their best, and perhaps steal a victory to help snap this losing skid.
X-Factor:
The Prince George Cougars must receive secondary scoring tonight if they hope to be victorious. Troy Bourke and his linemates have been the most steady point producers as of late, and tonight perhaps more than ever, the rest of the forward corps will need to elevate their game and convert on the chances that they get. If the Cougars can head into the third period either tied for the lead or ahead, they’ll give themselves a great opportunity to win tonight.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Chiefs 4 - Cougars 1
For the first time in 2011-2012, the Spokane Chiefs were able to defeat the Prince George Cougars. Friday night in Prince George, Spokane scored twice in a 41-second span in the second period en route to a 4-1 victory.
The Cougars started strongly, and opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first period. Daulton Siwak, freshly off of being named Player of the Month for February scored his 15th of the season off his own rebound. Troy Bourke did a fine job of getting Siwak the puck in front of Mac Engel. Siwak did the rest to record his team-leading 10th goal in the second-half of the season.
Moments later, Campbell Elynuik and Chiefs captain Darren Kramer dropped the gloves and had a spirited tilt. Each combatant landed some good shots before they were separated by the linesman.
Spokane tied the score at 15:56 when Marek Kalus potted his 18th of the season. Cole Wedman held a shot in at the point, and then found Kalus in front of Drew Owsley who made no mistake.
Both teams traded chances early in the second period, but both Mac Engel and Drew Owsley were solid for their respective teams in goal.
Todd Fiddler gave Spokane the 2-1 lead at 10:53 of the second. Fiddler put home a Davis Vandane pass at the side of the goal for his 12th of the season. 41 seconds later the Chiefs added to their lead when Darren Kramer converted off a Mike Aviani pass to the left-wing side.
Spokane would take their 3-1 lead into the third, and would add a quick one early in the final frame. Dylan Walchuk whacked home his seventh of the season from in close on Drew Owsley. Walchuck was able to find the loose puck underneath Drew Owsley and shovel it home.
The Cougars were given a string of late power plays, and while they didn’t score, they sure moved the puck around well. Mac Engel had to make a couple of big saves towards the end of the game to keep the game at 4-1.
Spokane finished with a 38-18 edge in shots. Neither team was able to record a power play marker.
With the loss, the Cougars are now five points back of the Everett Silvertips for eighth place in the Western Conference standings. The Cougars have eight games remaining, with four games at home and four on the road.
Spokane pushed the season series to 2-1-0-0 in favor of the Cougars.
These teams meet again tomorrow night (Saturday) at CN Centre.
The Cougars started strongly, and opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first period. Daulton Siwak, freshly off of being named Player of the Month for February scored his 15th of the season off his own rebound. Troy Bourke did a fine job of getting Siwak the puck in front of Mac Engel. Siwak did the rest to record his team-leading 10th goal in the second-half of the season.
Moments later, Campbell Elynuik and Chiefs captain Darren Kramer dropped the gloves and had a spirited tilt. Each combatant landed some good shots before they were separated by the linesman.
Spokane tied the score at 15:56 when Marek Kalus potted his 18th of the season. Cole Wedman held a shot in at the point, and then found Kalus in front of Drew Owsley who made no mistake.
Both teams traded chances early in the second period, but both Mac Engel and Drew Owsley were solid for their respective teams in goal.
Todd Fiddler gave Spokane the 2-1 lead at 10:53 of the second. Fiddler put home a Davis Vandane pass at the side of the goal for his 12th of the season. 41 seconds later the Chiefs added to their lead when Darren Kramer converted off a Mike Aviani pass to the left-wing side.
Spokane would take their 3-1 lead into the third, and would add a quick one early in the final frame. Dylan Walchuk whacked home his seventh of the season from in close on Drew Owsley. Walchuck was able to find the loose puck underneath Drew Owsley and shovel it home.
The Cougars were given a string of late power plays, and while they didn’t score, they sure moved the puck around well. Mac Engel had to make a couple of big saves towards the end of the game to keep the game at 4-1.
Spokane finished with a 38-18 edge in shots. Neither team was able to record a power play marker.
With the loss, the Cougars are now five points back of the Everett Silvertips for eighth place in the Western Conference standings. The Cougars have eight games remaining, with four games at home and four on the road.
Spokane pushed the season series to 2-1-0-0 in favor of the Cougars.
These teams meet again tomorrow night (Saturday) at CN Centre.
Cougars- Chiefs Preview.
The Prince George Cougars continue their eight-game homestand tonight when they host the Spokane Chiefs for the first time this season. So far the Cougars are 2-0-0-0 against Spokane having posted both victories away from home.
Overview:
Don Nachbaur’s Spokane Chiefs are heading into tonight’s game having won two straight games against the Victoria Royals. The Chiefs are 4-6-0-0 in their last 10 games, and right now they sit fifth in the Western Conference just one point back of the Vancouver Giants. The Chiefs overall record is 34-22-4-3.
Who’s Up Front:
Leading the way offensively for Spokane up front is import center Dominik Uher. Uher leads the Chiefs with 27 goals and is second on the team with 58 points in 54 games played. Uher is shifty, strong and fast. He has also scored six short-handed goals for Spokane this season.
Who’s on D:
The Spokane Chiefs leading scorer is defenceman Brenden Kichton. The 19-year-old product of Spruce Grove, Alberta has 62 points through 62 games and leads all WHL defencemen in scoring this season. He’s got 22 points on the power play and will likely log a ton of ice-time against the Cougars top forwards. Kichton is the total package, and will need to be kept in check this weekend.
Who’s in Goal:
The Spokane Chiefs have a solid goaltending tandem of Mac Engel and Eric Williams. Engel is 26-17-1-2 this season and has a goals against average of 2.74. Williams is 14-20-3-2 and has a save percentage of .879.
X-Factor:
Aside from Brenden Kichton, the Spokane Chiefs roster may lack the star-power compared to other teams in the league. But don’t let the lack of star-power fool you. Spokane is a gritty, fast, and hard-working group that is well-coached and well conditioned. They have five players on their roster with 40-or-more points and four more with over 30. They can come at you in waves, and the Cougars will need to minimize their mistakes if they want to find success this weekend.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars head into this weekend needing points more than ever. With nine games left in their regular season, the Prince George Cougars are four points back of eighth and six points back of seventh. The problem the Cougars have is that Everett and Victoria still have some games against each other, as do the Thunderbirds and Silvertips. It is imperative that the Cougars take advantage of these games at home this weekend if they want to keep pace with Seattle, Everett and Victoria.
Who’s Up Front:
Cougars forward Greg Fraser notched his 16th goal of the season on Wednesday against Medicine Hat. The goal ties Fraser’s season-high for goals. The Cougars will need Fraser and his linemates Campbell Elynuik and Caleb Belter to provide similar secondary scoring this weekend. If these three returning players can all play to their strengths this weekend against Spokane, the Cougars will be well positioned for victory.
Who’s on D:
Cody Carlson was the hero for the Cougars back on December 10th in Spokane. Carlson assisted on the game-tying goal and also had the shootout winner for the Cougars who were able to erase a 3-0 deficit to defeat Spokane. The 20-year-old Carlson is closing in on game number 300 for his career, and you know that he’ll need to be at his best this weekend against a tough Spokane opponent.
Who’s in Goal:
Drew Owsley is 2-0-0-0 this season against Spokane and you know that he’ll be up for the challenge tonight. Owsley is no stranger to the Chiefs, having seen a lot of them during his time in Tri City. Hopefully that familiarity can help Owsley this weekend. Cougars backup Devon Fordyce hasn’t played since Monday, February 21st in Portland. He’ll be ready if/when called upon this weekend as well.
X-Factor:
Confidence. The Cougars are winless in their last six games, but are heading into a stretch of games where they’ll be facing teams that they have not yet lost too this season. The Cougars need to harness as much confidence as possible in preparation for tonight’s game and beyond. If the Cougars can win these next four games at home, they’ll be able to keep pace with everybody else in the race for a playoff spot. The Cougars went into Spokane twice and won in a hostile environment, and now they’ll look to take advantage of their meetings at home. It starts and ends with confidence.
Overview:
Don Nachbaur’s Spokane Chiefs are heading into tonight’s game having won two straight games against the Victoria Royals. The Chiefs are 4-6-0-0 in their last 10 games, and right now they sit fifth in the Western Conference just one point back of the Vancouver Giants. The Chiefs overall record is 34-22-4-3.
Who’s Up Front:
Leading the way offensively for Spokane up front is import center Dominik Uher. Uher leads the Chiefs with 27 goals and is second on the team with 58 points in 54 games played. Uher is shifty, strong and fast. He has also scored six short-handed goals for Spokane this season.
Who’s on D:
The Spokane Chiefs leading scorer is defenceman Brenden Kichton. The 19-year-old product of Spruce Grove, Alberta has 62 points through 62 games and leads all WHL defencemen in scoring this season. He’s got 22 points on the power play and will likely log a ton of ice-time against the Cougars top forwards. Kichton is the total package, and will need to be kept in check this weekend.
Who’s in Goal:
The Spokane Chiefs have a solid goaltending tandem of Mac Engel and Eric Williams. Engel is 26-17-1-2 this season and has a goals against average of 2.74. Williams is 14-20-3-2 and has a save percentage of .879.
X-Factor:
Aside from Brenden Kichton, the Spokane Chiefs roster may lack the star-power compared to other teams in the league. But don’t let the lack of star-power fool you. Spokane is a gritty, fast, and hard-working group that is well-coached and well conditioned. They have five players on their roster with 40-or-more points and four more with over 30. They can come at you in waves, and the Cougars will need to minimize their mistakes if they want to find success this weekend.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars head into this weekend needing points more than ever. With nine games left in their regular season, the Prince George Cougars are four points back of eighth and six points back of seventh. The problem the Cougars have is that Everett and Victoria still have some games against each other, as do the Thunderbirds and Silvertips. It is imperative that the Cougars take advantage of these games at home this weekend if they want to keep pace with Seattle, Everett and Victoria.
Who’s Up Front:
Cougars forward Greg Fraser notched his 16th goal of the season on Wednesday against Medicine Hat. The goal ties Fraser’s season-high for goals. The Cougars will need Fraser and his linemates Campbell Elynuik and Caleb Belter to provide similar secondary scoring this weekend. If these three returning players can all play to their strengths this weekend against Spokane, the Cougars will be well positioned for victory.
Who’s on D:
Cody Carlson was the hero for the Cougars back on December 10th in Spokane. Carlson assisted on the game-tying goal and also had the shootout winner for the Cougars who were able to erase a 3-0 deficit to defeat Spokane. The 20-year-old Carlson is closing in on game number 300 for his career, and you know that he’ll need to be at his best this weekend against a tough Spokane opponent.
Who’s in Goal:
Drew Owsley is 2-0-0-0 this season against Spokane and you know that he’ll be up for the challenge tonight. Owsley is no stranger to the Chiefs, having seen a lot of them during his time in Tri City. Hopefully that familiarity can help Owsley this weekend. Cougars backup Devon Fordyce hasn’t played since Monday, February 21st in Portland. He’ll be ready if/when called upon this weekend as well.
X-Factor:
Confidence. The Cougars are winless in their last six games, but are heading into a stretch of games where they’ll be facing teams that they have not yet lost too this season. The Cougars need to harness as much confidence as possible in preparation for tonight’s game and beyond. If the Cougars can win these next four games at home, they’ll be able to keep pace with everybody else in the race for a playoff spot. The Cougars went into Spokane twice and won in a hostile environment, and now they’ll look to take advantage of their meetings at home. It starts and ends with confidence.
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