If their game tonight in Calgary is anything like their last two encounters with the Hitmen, the Prince George Cougars better bring plenty of bullets to the Scotiabank Saddledome.
They might need them to settle the score, just like that did in their two Western Hockey League shootouts with the Hitmen a few weeks ago at CN Centre. The Cougars drew first blood in the season series with a 4-3 shootout victory Oct. 25, and the Hitmen responded the following night, reversing the outcome by the identical score.
As the Cougars found out a few weeks ago, the Hitmen will be tough to beat, especially in their own barn, where they sport a 7-2-0-2 record. The Cougars will remain in Alberta for games Friday in Edmonton and Saturday in Red Deer.
The Cougars (9-13-1-3) are coming off an inspirational 3-1 win over the Everett Silvertips, who at the time were leading the WHL Western Conference standings. The Cats are 2-6-1-1- over their last 10 games and they've dropped to ninth in the West as a result, two points behind the eight-place Vancouver Giants, who played in Spokane on Wednesday.
Expect goalie Brett Zarowny to get the start in net tonight. Zarwony, an 18-year-old from Edson, Alta., was brilliant in the Everett win, making 34 saves as the Cougars were outshot 35-17.
The Cougars will be without RW David Soltes (leg injury), LW Jari Erricson (concussion) and D Joseph Carvalho (broken jaw).
The Hitmen have a new source of inspiration to make them work that much harder. Former pro wrestler Bret Hart, an original owner of the team, presented a replica of one of his WWF championship belts. The Hitmen player deemed to be the hardest working in each game will get to wear the belt. According to the Calgary Herald, Hart visited the Hitmen dressing room last week while the team on a four-game losing streak and gave them the belt.
"I know that they lost the hard hat that they usually give out. They lost that in the flood," said Hart. "In the interim they came up with a cheap, little wrestling belt that someone must have had as a kid. I think sometimes it's psychological, but the belt just kind of got here just in time as sort of a pleasant distraction from the downward trend for a couple of games. And they used it as a way to springboard a nice win on Friday."
The Hitmen have won their past two games, scoring 3-2 wins over Swift Current on Friday and Moose Jaw on Sunday.
