The Prince George Cougars have won their last two games and are in Kelowna tonight to try extend that streak.
Based on previous results against the Rockets this season, the odds are not in the Cougars' favour. In six games against the Rockets, the Cats have lost five of them -- four in regulation time and one in overtime.
After starting the season series with a 6-2 win Sept. 25 in Kelowna, the Cougars have been outscored 22-14 in the last five head-to-head games, all losses, and the Cats will be taking on a hot team tonight.
The Rockets (27-20-0-0) are on a four-game win streak and have won six of their last 10 to jump ahead of the Cougars (24-21-2-1) into second place in the B.C. Division. A win tonight would leave the Cats just one point behind Kelowna.
The Cougars lost 6-2 in Kelowna a week ago, the last time the teams met.
"The last time we went in there we were kind of sluggish off the start and we've got to go in there and get lots of pucks to the net and get down low and work on their D," said Cougars forward Taylor Makin.
"Our forwards are more than capable of taking on any defence in this league so that's one of the biggest things we have to do is have a good start against them."
Tonight's game will be broadcast live on Shaw TV (Cable 10).
The Cougars welcomed back captain Brett Connolly Wednesday night at CN Centre after he missed five games with a knee injury and the 18-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick went on a tear against the Kamloops Blazers. Connolly scored twice and added two assists in a 9-5 victory as the Cats recorded their fifth-straight win over the Kamloops.
"Offensively, we were firing on all cylinders and our power play was back doing some great things (going 4-for-6), but on the other end of it our penalty killing wasn't sharp," said Cougars head coach Dean Clark. "But we'll certainly take the win and probably pay a little more attention to detail against Kelowna.
The Cougars allowed three power-play goals from the Blazers and had two scored against them last week in a 4-3 shootout win in Chilliwack.
"We've given up five (power-play goals) in two games and before that we were pretty stingy coming back from the break," said Clark. "Killing penalties is an attitude and if you're out there it's just a matter of working harder than the other team because they have the extra guy.
"Our best penalty-killer is Dan Gibb and you can tell he just goes out and plays hard and puts his body in front of a lot of shots and that's the kind of effort you need from everybody all the time."
Clark said James Priestner will get the start tonight in net. Tonight's game is the last of 11 games for the Cougars against Western Conference opponents.
The Cougars also visit Everett on Saturday. The Silvertips (18-23-3-4) currently rank last in the Western Conference.
