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Cougars confident for home-opener

A matchup against the Vancouver Giants used to send the Prince George Cougars scurrying like scared cats. They've been the Cougars' nemesis so long, you have to wonder when the shoe's going to be worn on the other foot.

A matchup against the Vancouver Giants used to send the Prince George Cougars scurrying like scared cats.

They've been the Cougars' nemesis so long, you have to wonder when the shoe's going to be worn on the other foot.

That time of reckoning might now be upon us, starting tonight at CN Centre.

The Cougars are certainly not a WHL juggernaut as they host the Giants tonight (7:30 p.m.) in the home-opener at CN Centre, but they do appear much improved over last year's version.

The Giants, on the other hand, are wounded, depleted, and in need of some help. Three of their defenceman are injured and they've already lost defensive stalwart Kevin Connauton to the pros, along with forwards Tomas Vincour, Lance Bouma and James Wright. The Giants have allowed an average five goals per game in their four starts this season and have lost three of those games.

No wonder the Cougars think they stand a fighting chance of winning both games this weekend against a team that's practically owned them the last five seasons.

In that time, the Giants went 29-10-0-1 against the Cougars. They played head-to-head eight times last season, Vancouver won seven of them. In 2008-09 they swept all eight from the Cougars.

"We haven't had a lot of success against them but I think we have the team to do it this year," said Cougars captain Brett Connolly.

"In the past, Vancouver teams have been powerhouses but I don't feel that this year. They do have some good players but we match up really good against them and I think that will be a good team to play against in our home-opener."

For more, see Friday's Citizen