The Russians are coming.
And they'll be on CN Centre ice against the top talents in the Western Hockey League.
On Thursday morning, the Prince George Cougars announced that, in conjunction with the WHL, they'll host the first game of the 2016 CHL Canada Russia Series, which runs from Nov. 7-17.
"We are honoured to have been selected as one of the host cities for this prestigious event," Cougars general manager Todd Harkins said in a media release. "We have worked tirelessly over the past two seasons to make junior hockey thrive in Prince George and getting the chance to host the Canada Russia Series further proves that we are trending in the right direction in all aspects of our operation.
"The Canada-Russia rivalry is one of most exciting and dramatic in all of hockey and we look forward to welcoming the top WHL players from Western Canada along with the top international junior talent from Russia to Prince George so that we can contribute to this terrific junior hockey tradition."
The six-game series will start in Prince George on Nov. 7 and will include stops in Edmonton (Nov. 8), North Bay, Ont. (Nov. 10), Hamilton, Ont., (Nov. 14), Baie-Comeau, Que., (Nov. 15) and Chicoutimi, Que., (Nov. 17).
The Cougars will announce ticket information in the coming weeks.
Since the event began in 2003, Canadian Hockey League teams have played to an overall record of 54-18-6 against Team Russia, which earned its first series victory in 2010. Prince George hosted the final game that year, a contest that saw Cougars forwards Brett Connolly and Charles Inglis skate for Team WHL.
The CHL Canada Russia Series is part of the identification process for Team Canada prior to the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
