PREVIEW: Cougars at Warriors – Game #50
Tonight in Moose Jaw, SK the Prince George Cougars continue their longest road trip of their 2015-16 season. Last night in Swift Current the Cougars came away with a single point in a game where they felt like they were worthy of two, but that’s hockey and you press on and move forward. Late in the third period last night in Swift Current the Cougars held a 3-2 lead, but Jon Martin tied it, and Jamal Watson snagged the OT winner at 1:52 of the extra frame. Now it’s all about the pushback tonight as the Cougars battle the Moose Jaw Warriors for the first and only time in 2015-16. The Warriors are no doubt feeling snarly as well as they dropped a 3-1 decision in Medicine Hat an evening ago.
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS
Overview:
Tim Hunter’s Moose Jaw Warriors are coming into tonight’s game with an overall record of 24-18-6-1. Their 55 points have them ranked third in the East Division and sixth overall in the Eastern Conference standings. In their last 10 games they are 5-3-2-0 and are coming off a 3-1 setback against the Medicine Hat Tigers an evening ago. The Warriors are winless in each of their past three games against the Cougars, their most recent of which was a loss in Prince George in February of 2015.
Who’s Up Front:
In only 27 games, Warriors forward Brayden Point has scored 21 goals and added 33 assists for 54 points. That’s two full points per game for the 19-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning prospect who recently served as captain for Team Canada at the 2015-16 World Juniors in Helsinki, Finland. Point might be the most dynamic forward in the entire WHL and while he lacks size he can certainly make up for it with his vision, his intensity and his smarts. Point is the type of player who is going to get his chances and the only real way to keep him in check is to limit the amount of opportunities he gets as much as possible and come up with timely saves when the moment strikes.
Who’s on D:
Now in his 20-year-old season in the Western Hockey League, former Cougars rearguard Marc McNulty has found a nice home for himself in Moose Jaw. The Medicine Hat, AB product spent parts of four seasons in Prince George before he was dealt to Kamloops at the 2015 trade deadline. McNulty was then traded to Moose Jaw earlier this season and has provided some excellent stability on the Warriors back-end. Offensively McNulty has been terrific posting nine goals and 31 assists for 40 points. He’s also a +8 and has 19 power play points.
Who’s in Goal:
Fresh off an appearance in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver it looks like Zach Sawchenko will get the nod in goal tonight for the Warriors against the Cougars. This season Sawchenko has an 18-9-3-1 reecord with one shutout, a 2.78 goals-against-average and a .921 save percentage. Earlier in January, Sawchenko cracked NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term Rankings list as the third top goaltender in North America, and will almost assuredly get drafted in the higher rounds of the 2016 NHL Draft. The big key for the Cougars against Sawchenko: Lots of shots and lots of traffic. The more they get in his kitchen, the better their chances will be to score.
X-Factor:
With 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points, Moose Jaw Warriors forward Dryden Hunt. Heading into tonight’s game Hunt is tied for third in the WHL scoring race and is only five points shy of the league leader Brayden Burke. Hunt has provided an excellent compliment to Brayden Point, and the two together could easily be considered one of the (if not THE) top duos in the entire WHL. Brayden Point and Dryden Hunt against Chase Witala and Jesse Gabrielle could make for a fun night… Well, for everyone except the goaltenders.
PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS
Overview:
Mark Holick’s Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game with a record of 29-18-2-1. Their 61 points currently put them third in the B.C. Division four points back of the Victoria Royals for second. They are 5-4-1-0 in their past 10 games and are winless in their past two games. The encouraging news for the Cougars is that they continue to obtain points more often than not, and on the road especially. In their past 14 games away from home the Cougars are 10-3-1-0. Sure the loss last night to Swift Current stings, but they’ll take the single point where they can, and the good news is that they can get right back at it tonight against a Warriors team that they’ve defeated in three consecutive seasons.
Who’s Up Front:
With two goals last night in Swift Current, Chase Witala is now one goal away from tying Eric Hunter for the all-time lead in goals by a Prince George Cougar, and needs just two to grab the franchise lead all for himself. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but odds are by the end of this Prairie road trip that Chase Witala will hold the goal scoring record, and it’s fitting considering that he’s a local boy and he’s had to overcome to injury obstacles along the way in order to reach this point in his career. When he’s at his best, Chase Witala is one of the most dynamic and dangerous forwards in the WHL and tonight in Moose Jaw could be a historic night for him if all goes according to plan. The best part about Witala though is that he’d always swap personal accolades for team success and here’s hoping that he can achieve both tonight in Moose Jaw at Mosaic Place.
Who’s on D:
Defensively tonight the Cougars are going to have their hands full as the likes of Point and Hunt are a threat to score every game and every shift. Last night the Cougars did a relatively good job at keeping Jon Martin and Glenn Gawdin in check, but of course late in the game Martin got his Grade ‘A’ look and made no mistake. A major key to the Cougars defensive success is also discipline. The Warriors boast the fifth best power play in the entire WHL and the Cougars simply cannot afford to give the likes of Point, McNulty, Hunt and Brett Howden extra time, space and ice. Again the major onus is going to be on the three veterans: Sam Ruopp, Joe Carvalho and Tate Olson to lead the way.
Who’s in Goal:
After 11 consecutive starts it looks like Ty Edmonds will get the night off tonight as Nick McBride gets the tap on the pads from the Cougars coaching staff. McBride hasn’t played in a game since January 3rd as he has been sidelined with a lower body injury. Injuries are a frustrating part of the game, and McBride is a feisty competitor who wants to play and wants to help his team win, and he’s done that going 9-4-0-1 in 15 appearances with the Prince George Cougars since arriving from Prince Albert. McBride’s familiarity with the Eastern Conference also poses as a major asset for the Cougars tonight as they look to crack the win column for the first time on this trip. It’s a big game for McBride and the Cougars collectively as a three point weekend would feel a lot better than a one or a two-pointer. Simply put: A victory tonight in Moose Jaw still makes this an excellent start to the Prairie road trip.
X-Factor:
Tonight the Cougars simply need to be willing to pay the price. Whether it’s blocking a shot in the defensive zone, or taking a hit in the middle of the ice in order to advance the puck forward, those are the little types of things required in order to win on the road. There’s no doubt that the Cougars can score, but lately they’ve had a tougher time keeping the puck out of their own net, so tonight it’s all about sacrifice and making sure that they take a ‘defense first’ approach to tonight’s game. If they do that, they’ll give themselves every possible opportunity to win and be successful.
