Prince George Cougars vs. Portland Winterhawks
Friday, 7 p.m., CN Centre
Game notes (by Fraser Rodgers, Prince George Cougars)
Last Game: The Prince George Cougars (19-27-2-1) dropped both games to the Kelowna Rockets last weekend, posting back-to-back 3-2 defeats. Saturday, Connor Bowie, and Hudson Thornton scored in the setback for Prince George. Tyler Brennan stopped 35 shots in the Cougars’ crease. The Cougars are now 2-6-0-0 in eight games against the Rockets. Prince George has dropped their last five home games as they’re winless in their first two games of their eight-game home stand.
Season Series: Tonight, is the third of four meetings in the season series. Prince George lost 4-1 to the Winterhawks back on January 28th in the last encounter. Taylor Gauthier marks his return to Prince George, since being traded to the Winterhawks in December. In 13 games with Portland, Gauthier is 12-1-0-0 with a 1.61 goals-against average, .944 save percentage, and three shutouts. The Cougars have lost their last six against the Winterhawks dating back to the 2018-19 season.
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Dec 1 |
Prince George at Portland 2-6 |
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Jan 28 |
Prince George at Portland 1-4 |
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Friday, Feb 25 |
Portland at Prince George 7 pm |
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Saturday, Feb 26 |
Portland at Prince George 7 pm |
Prince George Cougars
General Manager & Head Coach: Mark Lamb
2021-22 Record: GP 49 - 19-27-2-1 (3rd B.C. Division)
Versus B.C. Division: 16-18-0-1
Home: 10-12-1-0
Streak: 0-2-0-0
Last 10: 2-7-1-0
Last Game: 3-2 loss vs. Kelowna Rockets (February 19th)
Next Game: February 26th vs. Portland Winterhawks, 7 pm
Injury Report: Blake Eastman (lower body) week-to-week
Scouting Report: Prince George continues its eight-game home stand with a pair of weekend games against the Winterhawks. The Cougars are trying to snap a mini two-game slide and end a five-game home losing streak. Prince George last won at the CN Centre on January 21st, 4-1 against the Victoria Royals. Since then, the Cougars have dropped home games to Vancouver (2), Kelowna (2), and Kamloops (1). The Cougars are 3-9-2-0 against the U.S. Division this season but winless in two games versus Portland. Koehn Ziemmer has five points (1g-4a) in three games. Ziemmer has seven points (3g-4a) in nine games in February. Hudson Thornton has four points (1g-3a) in his last three. He also has seven points (1g-6a) in his last nine. Riley Heidt has three points (1g-2a) in the last three games.
Portland Winterhawks
Senior Vice President, General Manager, Head Coach: Mike Johnston
2021-22 Record: GP 50 32-13-3-2
Versus B.C. Division: 7-3-2-0
Road: 14-7-1-0
Streak: 1-0-0-0
Last 10: 8-0-0-0
Last Game: 9-1 win vs. Spokane Chiefs (February 20th)
Next Game: February 26th at Prince George Cougars, 7 pm
Injury Report: Dawson Pasternak (lower body), season ending.
Scouting Report: Winterhawks goaltender Gauthier has been sensational for his new team and is the reigning WHL Goaltender of the Month, for the month of January. Cross Hanas is having a great second half to the season, as the 19-year-old Detroit Red Wings draft pick has 32 points (10g-22a) in 17 games since January 1st. That’s second-most in the WHL. Since December 28th, the Winterhawks are 19-2-0-1 in 22 games. 10-1-0-0 on the road during that same stretch.
