The Prince George Cougars might feel like they've been skating in quicksand over the past week.
They can take comfort in the fact they're not alone among their Western Hockey League rivals.
Despite three losses in their last three games, the Cougars began the day Friday still third in the five-team B.C. Division and with a win tonight over the Victoria Royals (7 p.m. start, CN Centre) the Cats can overtake the Royals and climb into second place.
The Cougars (10-13-1-2) have won just four of their last 10 games and the same can be said for the Royals, Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers. Heading into Friday's games, just four points separated the Royals (12-9-0-0) from the fifth-place Blazers and the Rockets are also within striking range, tied in points (23) with Prince George. The Vancouver Giants are running away with the division, sitting 12 points ahead of Victoria.
Kamloops played host to the Saskatoon Blades Friday night, while the Rockets travelled to Tri-City to face the Americans.
The Royals, who have played five fewer games than the Cougars, will be back on CN Centre ice Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.) to try to create some breathing room as they embark on a five-game tour of the B.C. Division over the next week. In the Royals' only game this week they lost 2-1 at home to Saskatoon.
The Cougars went south of the border for games Tuesday and Wednesday and fell 5-2 to Tri-City and 4-0 to the Spokane Chiefs. They outshot and outplayed the Americans in the first two periods and had a 19-7 shot advantage in the second but were outscored 3-2 in that period. In Spokane, they held off one of the league's most potent power plays, not allowing a goal despite playing shorthanded nine times.
"In Spokane, we played fantastic first period, outshot them and outchanced them and then penalties just buried us," said Cougars associate coach Steve O'Rourke. "They're a skilled team with lots of speed and we just gave them too much momentum after that. Even though they went 0-for-9, we couldn't get back on our toes."
Cougars goalie Taylor Gauthier had a key role in keeping the Chiefs from improving on their 26 per cent power-play success rate. The 17-year-old allowed three even-strength goals on 33 shots. The fourth came while he was sitting on the bench.
"Taylor played excellent, probably one of his top-three games of the year, and the hard thing for us was we didn't use it in a win and wasted it," said O'Rourke. "That parade to the box just killed us."
The Cougars and Royals have struggled all season to find the net. Only the last-overall Swift Current Broncos have scored fewer goals than Victoria, which has 59 goals in 21 games, an average of 2.80 per game. The Cougars, with 60 goals in 26 games, are sputtering at a 2.30 goal-per-game clip.
The Royals, who have leaned heavily on goalie Griffen Outhouse, also have a better defensive record. They've allowed 64 goals for a 3.05 per-game average, while the Cougars have given up 85 goals, an average of 3.26 per game.
"It's going to be a battle - they're stingy and have good d-zone and they forecheck hard," said O'Rourke. "Griffen Outhouse is a premier goalie in this league and we have to get lots of shots and lots of traffic at him to make his life hard.
"We play pretty well defensively, too, and we know we've got a little shortcoming on the scoring. We have guys who have to bear down on their chances. But we're getting the chances, and that's what matters. If we weren't getting the chances then you're really worried."
Kaid Oliver is the only Royal producing at a point-per-game pace or better. He leads the team with 14 goals and has 22 points. Linemate D-Jay Jerome (11-8-19) and Dante Hannoun (7-9-16) are not far behind.
Vladislav Mikhalchuk scored two power-play goals in the Tri-City game Tuesday to remain the Cougars' leading scorer. The 19-year-old Belarusian now has six goals and 19 points in 26 games. Defenceman Cole Moberg (7-9-16) continues to supply offence from the back end and ranks second in team scoring, three points ahead of winger Josh Maser (7-6-13).
The teams have not seen each other since the season-opening weekend, Sept. 21-22 in Victoria. The Royals won both of those games, 2-1 in a shootout, followed by a 5-1 win. Royals forward Brandon Cutler scored with only 1:07 left in regulation time in that first game.
As division rivals they'll play each other eight times, with two more games in Prince George Feb. 15-16 and two in Victoria March 1- 2.
Sunday's game will be the last of 2018 at home for the Cougars. They'll play their next 11 on the road. Fans are being asked to bring wrapped donations of warm clothing, rather than stuffed animals, for the club's annual Un-Teddy Bear Toss on Sunday. They can toss their donations onto the ice after the Cougars score their first goal of the game.
On the Cougars' injury front, D Tyson Phare will be sidelined for the next month with a lower-body injury he suffered in practice a week ago. D Cameron MacPhee (shoulder surgery) is out indefinitely. For the Royals, D Ralph Jarratt (lower body) will miss the next two or three weeks.
