If it is true that Spokane Chiefs bring out the worst in the Prince George Cougars, it could get ugly on this ice this weekend at CN Centre.
Exactly a week after they manhandled the Cougars 8-0 at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, the Chiefs are back to refresh the memories in a two-game set tonight and Saturday.
The Cougars will try to atone for the mistakes they made last week and in a 7-3 loss in Spokane Oct. 27. Cougars coach Dean Clark rates those two games as two of the worst losses his team has suffered all season and he likes to think the results will be different on home ice.
"I think our guys are looking forward to the games this weekend just because (the two losses) were not an indication of what we are as a team," said Clark. "They get a lot of production from Tyler Johnson and (Levko) Koper up front and they have a group of guys that go out and work really hard and their back end, with (Brenden Kichton) and (Jared) Cowen, contributing with the scoring.
"They have a really good group of high-end guys but also a group of guys that just goes out and works. We have that too, but we just haven't played well in their building."
The Cats can certainly use the points up for grabs this weekend. Two months ago they led the B.C. Division and making the playoffs seemed almost a certainty. Not so much anymore. Prince George (29-31-2-2) ranks seventh in the Western Conference, tied with eight-place Kamloops with 62 points, and the Chilliwack Bruins and Seattle Thunderbirds are both within striking range. The Bruins are just three points behind Prince George/Kamloops and have two games in hand over the Cougars. Seattle is five points off the pace, and like the Cougars have eight games left.
"(The tight playoff race] is obviously causing us a bit of stress but it's just more a matter of us smartening up and playing the last eight games and going out every night for the win," said Cougars winger Taylor Stefishen. "The loss in Spokane was pretty tough to deal with. It's pretty embarrassing to get spanked 8-0 like that and it definitely left a bad taste in our mouths. We made some bad decisions and they got a lot of momentum and it just killed us.
"For sure, we can play with them and having home -ice advantage, we've been pretty good in CN Centre this year (the Cats are 16-14-1-1 at home) and maybe we'll have the upper hand, not having to travel."
The Chiefs (40-17-4-2) are in a different kind of battle, pushing Portland for top spot in the conference, only three points behind the Winterhawks. Both U.S. Division teams have nine games left.
"We have to be way more fired up to play at home and use home ice to our advantage," said Cougars defenceman Sena Acolatse. "We have to look at these games different than we did in their building.
"From being in the league for awhile, I know their rink is a hard rink to play in and we just weren't ready for those games and came out flat right from the beginning of both games. They're a good team and so we have to give them a bit more respect and be ready to go."
The Cougars have to find ways to limit the damage from Spokane centre Tyler Johnson who has 46 goals and 58 assists for 104 points. Johnson tied with Ryan Howse for the league lead in goals and is only three behind Linden Vey of Medicine Hat in the points race.
"[Johnson is] just a hard worker," said Acolatse. "He's a quick guy and he has good hands and good skills. He's not the biggest guy (five-foot-nine, 175 pounds) so the best way to deal with him is get on him and hit him, but you have to respect his speed and not overcommit to him because he so quick and can swing around you."
