This weekend's two-game set against the Vancouver Giants could be the last chance to see the Prince George Cougars this season play on home ice.
The Cougars will obviously do their best to make sure that's not the case, but will need a determined push in their final eight games to defy the odds and make the playoffs. The Cats need a winning streak the next two weeks and will have to hope the Seattle Thunderbirds end the season on a victory famine.
That's because the T-birds hold a nine-point lead on the Cats for the second wild-card playoff spot in the WHL's Western Conference. The Cougars can gain a maximum of 16 points if they win their remaining eight games.
That certainly won't be easy against Vancouver. Last year's Western Conference champions have found their stride and have won seven of their last 10. The second-place Giants (32-23-4-2) dropped their last two on the road, losing 4-1 Sunday in Victoria and 4-2 Wednesday in Kamloops.
The Cougars (18-34-4-4) are coming off a huge 2-0 victory Tuesday over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday, one of the top teams in the WHL. Taylor Gauthier made 37 saves to complete his second shutout of the season, which ended the Cats' five-game losing streak.
The Cougars are 2-4-0-0 so far in the eight-game season series against the Giants. Prince George won 3-0 in Langley on Dec. 17, the last time the teams met.
Seattle begins a three-game weekend tonight in Kelowna. The T-birds will be back home Saturday to play the Everett Silvertips, then head to Everett for a Sunday rematch. The T-birds, like the Cougars, have lost eight of their last 10.
Cougar captain Josh Maser has points in eight of his last 10 games and has four goals and eight assists over that span. Vladislav Mikhalchuk has also has had a hot hand lately for the Cats with three goals and an assist in his last four games. Defenceman Ryan Schoettler, who played his 250th career WHL game on Feb. 21, needs just two points to reach 100 mark.
The Giants have five NHL-drafted players, including goalies David Tendeck (Arizona, sixth round, 2018) and Trent Miner (Colorado, seventh round, 2019); defencemen Bowen Byram (Colorado, fourth overall, 2019) and Alex Kannok-Liepert (Washington, sixth round, 2018); and Slovakian import centre Milos Roman (Calgary, fourth round, 2018).
Centre Tristan Neilsen lead the Giants in scoring with 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points, followed by centre Justin Sourdif (25-28-53) and right winger Tyler Preziuso (24-25-49), who was acquired in a mid-season trade from the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night at CN Centre with a trip for two to Victoria up for grabs and a big crowd is expected for the rematch with the Giants. Game time both nights is 7 p.m.
