One point is all that separates the Prince George Cougars and Regina Pats.
And they both sit seventh overall in the WHL's Eastern and Western Conferences respectively.
The teams clash tonight (7 p.m.) at CN Centre in their lone meeting of the season.
The Cougars are fourth in the Western Conference's B.C. Division with a 13-13-0-0 record and 26 points. They're also an even .500 in their last 10 games at 5-5.
Most recently, the Cats returned from a two-game road trip where they beat the Vancouver Giants 4-3 Saturday but lost to the Kamloops Blazers 5-2 Friday night.
Seventeen-year-old centre Jansen Harkins leads the Cougars offence with seven goals and 22 assists in 26 games.
Left-winger Chase Witala, who suffered a leg injury in Friday's game against Kamloops, is listed as day-to-day. The injury is not believed to be serious. He sits second in team scoring with 13 goals and 12 assists.
The Pats are third in the Eastern Conference's East Division with a 13-10-1 record and 27 points.
Even though the Pats are in the midst of a five-game road trip through the B.C. Division, they come into Prince George rested. They were shut out 5-0 by the Victoria Royals Saturday after defeating the Vancouver Giants 6-2 Friday.
They're on an 8-2-0-0 run in their last 10 games.
Regina is led by 19-year-old right-winger Connor Gay, who has notched nine goals and 16 assists in 24 games.
Left-winger Morgan Klimchuk, a 19-year-old 2013 first-round draft pick of the Calgary Flames, has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) after 15 games.
Kyle Burroughs, a 19-year-old defenceman, was selected in the seventh round by the New York Islanders. He has 12 points in 21 games.
The Pats arrive in Prince George with new owners and coaches.
Regina businessman Anthony Marquart and his ownership group took over the franchise in late April from Russ and Diane Parker, who owned the team for 19 seasons. The Pats cleaned house behind the bench too, letting go of head coach Malcolm Cameron in June.
In August, John Paddock came on board as their new head coach and senior vice-president of hockey operations.
The Oak River, Man., native has spent the last 21 years coaching in the NHL and AHL and joined the Pats after a five-year stint as assistant general manager with the Philadelphia Flyers. Last season he was an assistant coach with the Flyers.
Regina travels to Kamloops Friday and Kelowna Saturday to wrap up its road swing.
Meanwhile, the Cougars don't play again until Dec. 3 when they host the Prince Albert Raiders at CN Centre.
