The Prince George Cougars hope home-ice advantage works to their favour, even if it is for a brief two-game stint.
After a five-game road trip where they went 2-3-0-0, the Cats return to the comfy confines of CN Centre to face off against the Tri-City Americans tonight and tomorrow night (7 p.m.).
Tonight's game marks the second time the two WHL Western Conference rivals have met this season. The Americans shut out Prince George 7-0 on Sept. 21 in Kennewick, Wash., the second game of the regular season for the Cougars.
With 38 points each, the 18-18-0-2 Americans and the 19-21-0-0 Cougars find themselves in a tight race to secure the last wild card playoff spot in the Western Conference.
"Everything from January in will be tight-checking and details will make the difference from our defensive zone, power play," said Cougars head coach Mark Holick. "These are all playoff games now [until the end of the regular season]. It's all about details and habits. We have to play disciplined."
The Cougars lost their last two games - a 4-3 decision in Kelowna on Saturday and a 5-4 loss in Vancouver Friday and find themselves in fourth place in the B.C. Division.
Saturday in Kelowna, the Cougars - with a younger lineup - gave everything they had to tie the game late in the third period after surrendering a power-play goal that eventually became the winner.
"The kids had some energy and passion. We were step-for-step with them and the power-play goal was the difference," said Holick. "We had a couple chances six-on-five to tie the game, but I was very happy with the effort."
Jansen Harkins, a 17-year-old centre, leads Prince George in scoring with 13 goals and 32 assists. With 45 points in 40 games, he has already surpassed his offensive output from last season when he finished with 34 points in 67 games.
Right-winger Chase Witala is next in scoring with 21 goals and 18 assists in 36 games.
Coming into Prince George, the Americans are in last place in the U.S. Division.
They're in the midst of a four-game road trip and have lost three straight. They suffered a 3-0 shutout to the Portland Winterhawks Saturday in Portland and a 3-2 loss Friday in Seattle against the Thunderbirds.
After Wednesday's game, they return home to Kennewick for a tilt against Seattle.
Tri-City is led offensively by 19-year-old centre Parker Bowles, who has 10 goals and 29 assists in 37 games. Right-winger Beau McCue, 20, has 14 goals and 16 assists in 38 games.
The new WHL playoff format this season has the top three clubs in each division make up the first-six playoff qualifiers within each of the two conferences. The remaining two spots per conference will be filled with wild cards, with the next two highest-placed clubs in each conference earning playoff berths based on their regular-season record, regardless of division.
Following Wednesday's contest, the Cougars visit the Victoria Royals on Friday and Saturday. Their next home action is a two-game series Jan. 16-17 against Portland, followed by another series at CN Centre Jan. 20-21 against Everett.
LOOSE PUCKS: Cariboo Cougars captain Austin Gray, who was signed by the Winterhawks in December, picked up his first WHL point Sunday in Portland.
He earned an assist on Alex Overhardt's goal, Portland's second of the game in a 4-0 shutout against Seattle.
