PREVIEW: Cougars Host Rockets in First Home Game of 2024
Tonight, at the CN Centre, the Prince George Cougars kick off a four-game home-stand beginning tonight against the Kelowna Rockets.
The Prince George Cougars dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, falling 4-2 in Everett on Sunday at the Angel of the Winds Arena. Zac Funk and Hudson Thornton had the Cougar markers in the setback, while Ty Young was busy in goal, making 32 saves.
PG GOAL SCORERS: Funk, Thornton
GOALIE: Young (32/35, .914)
PP: 1.3
PK: 3/3
COUGARS LAST FIVE RESULTS, Record: 3-2-0-0
| DATE | RESULT | GWG | PG GOALIE | OPP. GOALIE |
| December 30, 2023 | PG [4] at KAM [1] | Lajoie | Young | Sanche |
| January 3, 2024 | PG [6] at WEN [2] | Heidt | Ravensbergen | Hauser/Gee |
| January 5, 2024 | PG [2] at SEA [1] | McNutt | Young | Ratzlaff |
| January 6, 2024 | PG [3] at POR [4] | Davies | Ravensbergen | Avakyan |
| January 7, 2024 | PG [2] at EVT [4] | Miettenen | Young | Chadwick |
COUGARS UPCOMING SCHEDULE
| DATE | TIME (PDT) | OPPONENT | VENUE |
| January 12, 2024 | 7:00 pm | vs Kelowna Rockets | CN Centre |
| January 13, 2024 | 6:00 pm | vs Kelowna Rockets | CN Centre |
| January 19, 2024 | 7:00 pm | vs Portland Winterhawks | CN Centre |
| January 20, 2024 | 6:00 pm | vs Portland Winterhawks | CN Centre |
| January 26, 2024 | 7:05 pm | at Spokane Chiefs | Spokane Memorial Arena |
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Oct. 3/2023 – at Prince George (3-2 PG)
Oct. 4/2023 – at Prince George (8-1 PG)
Oct. 13/2023 – at Kelowna (5-4 KEL)
Nov. 18/2023 – at Kelowna (5-4 PG)
Jan. 12/2024 – at Prince George
Jan. 13/2024 – at Prince George
Feb. 24/2024 – at Kelowna
Mar. 13/2024 – at Kelowna
2022-2023 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Sep. 30/2022 – at Prince George (6-3 PG)
Oct. 1/2022 – at Prince George (5-1 KEL)
Nov. 9/2022 – at Kelowna (8-6 KEL)
Jan. 10/2023 – at Kelowna (3-0 PG)
Feb. 7/2023 – at Prince George (5-1 PG)
Feb. 8/2023 – at Prince George (7-2 PG)
Mar. 8/2023 – at Kelowna (6-2 PG)
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS
Goals (42): Zac Funk
Assists (49): Riley Heidt
Points (73): Zac Funk
PIMS (84): Aiden Foster
Plus/Minus (+32): Zac Funk
2023-2024 REGULAR SEASON GOALTENDING LEADERS
Wins (15): Ty Young
Save % (.923): Joshua Ravensbergen
Goals Against Average (2.18) – Joshua Ravensbergen
Shutouts (6): Joshua Ravensbergen
COUGARS CAREER MILESTONES WITHIN REACH:
Hudson Thornton – 48 career goals (2 away from 50)
Zac Funk – 94 career goals (6 away from 100)
Keaton Dowhaniuk – 199 career games played (1 away from 200)
Chase Pauls – 196 career games played (4 away from 200)
Ondrej Becher – 93 games played (7 away from 100)
Riley Heidt – 193 career games played (87 away from 200)
Oren Shtrom – 146 career games played (5 away from 150)
WHO’S HOT
Zac Funk has points in 8 of his last 10 games (11-7-17)
Riley Heidt has points in 7 of his 9 games (7-9-16)
Terik Parascak has points in 11 of 13 games (4-15-19)
Ondrej Becher has points in 3 of his last 4 games (3-4-7)
Borya Valis has 7 points in 4 games (1-6-7)
Chase Pauls has points in six consecutive games (1-5-6)
TONIGHTS STORYLINES & STATS
40 DOWN: The Cougars enter tonight with a 28-12-0-0 record (56 points) on the season through 40 games which leads the BC Division and the Western Conference. The Cats are 13-6-0-0 at home and 15-6-0-0 on the road so far this season.
AGAINST THE BC DIVISION: The Cougars enter tonight’s contest against the Rockets with an 11-3-0-0 record against the BC division and are 20-8 against the Western Conference.
NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING: Three Prince George Cougars were listed on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-season rankings. Terik Parascak, 17, headlines the pair with being the #14 ranked skater. The Lethbridge, AB owns 26 goals and paces all rookie skaters with 60 points in 40 games at the time of the rankings being released. 19-year-old Ondrej Becher enters the rankings for the first time, coming in at #84. Becher is coming off an impressive World Junior tournament, where he accumulated ten points in seven games (3-7-10). Hunter Laing rounds out the Cougars trio at #108. The 6’6 forward owns 13 points in 48 games at the time of the rankings being released.
CHL TOP TEN: Having won two of four games during their trip to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, the Cougars (28-12-0-0) fell by a single spot to third in this week’s rankings. Having started off the road trip with wins against Wenatchee (6-2) and Seattle (2-1), Prince George lost in consecutive games for the first time this season, falling 4-3 to No.8-ranked Portland before being doubled up 4-2 by Everett the next night. Among the notable performances for the Cougars, there was once again Zac Funk leading the way. The 20-year-old right winger, who was named to the CHL Team of the Month for the second time this season, collected five goals and three assists last week. Funk is currently the only player in the CHL to top 40 goals (and sits at 42 right now) and he leads the CHL with 73 points this season (ahead of teammate Riley Heidt who has 71).
THE EUROS RETURN: Ondrej Becher and Viliam Kmec return to the Cougar lineup after an impressive showing at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden. Becher returns to PG with a bronze medal with Czechia. Becher owned five points in the final game. Kmec comes back to the Cougars after his third crack at the World Juniors with Slovakia.
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
TICKETS: HERE
WHEN: Friday, January 12 at 7:00pm PDT
WHERE: CN Centre – Prince George, BC
WATCH: WHL Live
LISTEN: 94.3 The Goat
