The long road through the prairies is just beginning for the Prince George Cougars.
They begin their six-game, eight-day swing against East Division opponents tonight in Swift Current, where they meet the Broncos, the 11-ranked team in the WHL Eastern Conference.
The Cougars are coming off a 4-2 loss at home Monday to the Medicine Hat Tigers. Their date with the Broncos might be just what the doctor ordered to get the Cats back on a winning track.
The Broncos (15-27-41), who had a modest- three-game win streak snapped Saturday in Calgary, have scored just 117 goals in 47 games. Only the last-overall Kootenay Ice have scored fewer goals.
The Cougars (29-18-1-1) have won six of their past 10 games and they begin the weekend tied with the Everett Silvertips for third in the Western Conference. The Silvertips (28-1-4-2-2), who have played three fewer games than Prince George, will be in Kennewick, Wash. tonight to play the Tri-City Americans.
Cougars defencemen Josh Anderson (back injury) and Max Martin (shoulder surgery) won't play tonight and goalie Nick McBride (lower-body injury) might not be ready to return to the lineup in Swift Current. The Broncos are without defenceman Jordan Harris (upper body), and forwards Cole Johnson (upper body) and Gustav Olliver (upper body). Harris, now 19, was selected 11th overall by the Cougars in the 2011 draft and was dealt to the Broncos in July 2013 for defenceman Zach Gonek.
One interesting matchup to watch for tonight is the battle between each team's leading scorer. Jesse Gabrielle of the Cougars and Jon Martin of the Broncos are on top of the Western Hockey League, each with 31 goals. Gabrielle also has 21 assists in 49 games, two off the 54-point pace of Martin, who has played 45 games.
Prince George and Everett trail the second-place Victoria Royals (29-15-2-3) by three points and are nine points behind the first-place Kelowna Rockets (33-11-3-0). Kelowna hosts Portland tonight, while the Royals are at home to face Lethbridge. The Royals will play in Kelowna on Saturday.
Following tonight's game, the Cougars will move on to Moose Jaw to take on the Warriors (24-17-6-1), who rank sixth in the Eastern Conference. Next week, the Cougars hit the highway to play Tuesday in Saskatoon, Wednesday on Prince Albert, Friday in Brandon and Saturday in Regina.
The Cougars will be back in the friendly confines of CN Centre Feb. 12-13 to face off against Kelowna in a two-game weekend series.
