PREVIEW: Cougars Host Chiefs to Kick Off Final Month of Regular Season
PRINCE GEORGE BC – Tonight, at the CN Centre, the Prince George Cougars return home for four games to begin the month of March, as they battle the Spokane Chiefs at 7:00 pm.
The Prince George Cougars earned their fourth consecutive victory with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Kelowna Rockets. Zac Funk collected his eighth hat trick of the season and became the team’s single-season goal leader in history. Riley Heidt also had a big night, becoming the first CHL skater to reach 100 points.
PG GOAL SCORERS: Thornton, Funk, Funk, Heidt, Funk
GOALIE: Ravensbergen – 26/31 (.838)
PP: 3/5
PK: 3/3
COUGARS LAST FIVE RESULTS, Record: 4-0-0-1
DATE | RESULT | GWG | PG GOALIE | OPP. GOALIE |
February 17, 2024 | PG [1] at KAM [2] (SO) | Keller (SOW) | Young | Sanche |
February 19, 2024 | PG [8] vs SEA [1] | Dumanski | Ravensbergen | Ratzlaff/Michnik |
February 20, 2024 | PG [5] vs SEA [1] | Funk | Ravensbergen | Ratzlaff |
February 23, 2024 | PG [5] at KAM [1] | Parascak | Young | Sanche |
February 24, 2024 | PG [6] at KEL [5] (SO) | Becher (SOW) | Ravensbergen | Kykkanen |
COUGARS UPCOMING SCHEDULE
DATE | TIME (PDT) | OPPONENT | VENUE |
March 1, 2024 | 7:00pm | vs Spokane Chiefs | CN Centre |
March 2, 2024 | 6:00pm | vs Spokane Chiefs | CN Centre |
March 8, 2024 | 7:00pm | vs Vancouver Giants | CN Centre |
March 9, 2024 | 6:00pm | vs Vancouver Giants | CN Centre |
March 13, 2024 | 7:05pm | at Kelowna Rockets | Prospera Place |
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Dec. 2/2023 – at Spokane (6-3 Prince George)
Jan. 26/2024 – at Spokane (4-3 Spokane)
Mar. 1/2024 – at Prince George
Mar. 2/2024 – at Prince George
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Nov. 4/2022 – at Spokane (7-2 Prince George)
Nov. 5/2022 – at Spokane (5-3 Prince George)
Mar. 3/2023 – at Prince George (5-2 Prince George)
Mar. 4/2023 – at Prince George (5-4 Spokane/OT)
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS
Goals (56): Zac Funk
Assists (68): Riley Heidt
Points (100): Riley Heidt
PIMS (110): Aiden Foster
Plus/Minus (+44): Zac Funk
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON GOALTENDING LEADERS
Wins (22): Joshua Ravensbergen
Save % (.917): Joshua Ravensbergen
Goals Against Average (2.23) – Joshua Ravensbergen
Shutouts (6): Joshua Ravensbergen
COUGARS CAREER MILESTONES WITHIN REACH:
Hudson Thornton – 197 career games played (3 away from 200)
Hudson Thornton – 185 career points (15 away from 200)
Zac Funk – 95 career assists (5 away from 100)
WHO’S HOT
Carlin Dezainde has points in 12 of 13 games (10-6-16)
Terik Parascak has points in 14 of 15 games (5-16-21)
Zac Funk has points in 8 of 9 games (12-8-20)
Riley Heidt has points in 7 consecutive games (5-11-16)
Josh Ravensbergen has won 9 of his last 10 starts
10 GAMES REMAIN: The Cougars enter tonight with a 40-15-0-3 record (83 points) on the season through 57 games which has won the BC Division and leads the Western Conference. The Cats are 21-7-0-1 at home and 19-8-0-2 on the road this season.
DC GETS FUNKY: 20-year-old sniper Zac Funk has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. Funk, 20, paces the WHL in goals (56), power-play goals (25), and plus-minus (+44). Funk is the second 20-year-old in as many seasons to sign an NHL deal (Chase Wheatcroft, 2023, DAL).
BC DIVISION CHAMPIONS: For the first time since 2017 and for the second time in franchise history, the Prince George Cougars were crowned BC Division champions on Saturday, February 24th after a 6-5 shootout win over the Kelowna Rockets.
AGAINST THE BC DIVISION: The Cougars enter tonight’s contest against the Rockets with a 17-4-0-2 record against the BC division and are 31-12-0-3 against the Western Conference.
CHL TOP TEN: The WHL is represented by five teams in the Week 21 rankings. Saskatoon (2), Prince George (4), Portland (7), Everett (8), and Swift Current (9). The Cougars have been named in the CHL Top 10, 20 of 21 weeks.
X MARKS THE SPOT: On Saturday, February 17th, the Cougars clinched a playoff spot for the third consecutive season. Prince George is one of four teams thus far in the WHL to earn the ‘x’ beside their name (Portland, Everett, Saskatoon).
THE NEW SCORING KING: On February 24th, Zac Funk became the Cougars single-season goal leader, surpassing Quinn Hancock’s record that was set in 1997-98. Funk now owns 56 goals on the campaign with 10 games remaining.
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
WHEN: Friday, March 1st– 7:00 pm
WHERE: CN Centre – Prince George, BC
LISTEN: 94.3 The Goat
WATCH: WHL Live