The rest and relaxation is over for the Prince George Cougars. They resume their Western Hockey League season with a road game tonight against the Seattle Thunderbirds and will take on the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
And as the Cougars return from the Christmas break, they've got some work ahead of them to try to get into a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The Cougars are currently in last place in the conference with an 11-19-1-2 record. Things haven't been pretty lately, as the Cats are on a five-game losing skid and have dropped nine of their past 10 contests. Statistically, they have scored the fewest number of goals in the West (75 in 33 games for an average of 2.27 per game) and have allowed the third-most against (114).
The good news for the Cougars is that even a modest winning streak would put them back in the playoff picture. Heading into tonight's game, they're just two points behind the Kamloops Blazers (12-16-2-1), holders of the second and final wildcard playoff spot. The Blazers, however, have two games in hand on the Cougars.
Tonight's meeting between the Cats and Thunderbirds will be the fourth of the season. Prince George won the first two games, played Nov. 2 and 3 at CN Centre, by scores of 4-1 and 2-0. Seattle recorded a 6-5 home-ice victory on Dec. 11.
The Thunderbirds (11-16-4-0) are one point ahead of the Cougars in the conference standings and have played two fewer games.
Tonight's game - which will be played at the Accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., - is the sixth consecutive on the road for the Cougars.
