The Prince George Cougars are not playing playoff hockey!
One might suggest they are not playing playoff hockey because it is not the playoffs.
WHL Teams do not need to peak in mid-January, ideally, they want to be at their best a couple of months from now in mid to late March as the regular season ends and the post-season begins.
My point is if the Cougars do not improve significantly on their goals-against they will not be a factor and/or contender come the playoffs.
It is great to know that Koehn Ziemmer and Riley Heidt are in the WHL’s top six for scoring
and continue to be ranked as potential first-round picks for the 2023 NHL Draft.
Pair of @PGCougars ranked in the top 30 of NHL Central Scouting mid-term list | #cityofpg https://t.co/HaaVvkPmEY #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/aYKir1kW8q
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 13, 2023
It is a superb accomplishment that winger Chase Wheatcroft has already tied the team record for power-play goals in a season and is leading the entire WHL in that department with 18.
With his 18th power play goal of the season, Chase Wheatcroft has tied the Prince George record for most power play goals in a single season!
He now shares the milestone with Berkeley Buchko, who set the record in the 2000-01 season.@PGCougars pic.twitter.com/4dhmDskpPw
— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 18, 2023
Speaking about the power play, the Cougars should be saluted for having the second-best PP in the league at 28.5 %, only behind Kamloops at 30.2 %.
Offensively, the team is doing well and yes offense creates excitement.
Give P.G. credit on Wednesday for posting a 6-5 victory in Calgary, even though they trailed 5-3 with 14 minutes remaining in the third period.
Three point nights from Wiebe, Wheatcroft and Ziemmer lift Cougars over Calgary https://t.co/aP5k9pzQ1G @PGCougars #CityOfPG #PrinceGeorge pic.twitter.com/oRmXSee7Je
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 19, 2023
With 158 goals in 41 games, they are averaging 3.85 a game which should get the team many more victories than losses.
Why then are the Cougars sitting below .500 with a record of 18-19-4 and just sixth out of 10 in the Western Conference?
All one has to do is look at how many goals they are giving up.
Sure, goalies Ty Young and Tyler Brennan have to take some of that responsibility as both are below a .900 save percentage, and neither ranks in the league’s top 20 in that category.
That’s a puzzle since both were drafted by NHL teams last year (Young to Vancouver in the fifth round and Brennan to New Jersey in the fourth).
Goals against also represent how the forwards and defense play in front of their goalie – that is where this team is having trouble.
This concerning trend has escalated in recent weeks.
The Cougars have allowed a whopping 159 goals in 41 games or 3.87 a game.
Only Victoria and Spokane, (the two bottom teams) have allowed more in the Western Conference.
In December and so far this month (January) over a span of 18 games, the Cougars have surrendered 76 goals for an average of 4.2 a game.
Yikes!
This does include an impressive 3-0 victory over Kelowna where Young posted his first WHL shutout on January 10th which began a 7-game road trip.
Since then, in four games in Alberta, the Cats have allowed 18 goals or an average of 4.5 per game.
All players like to score and want to have impressive offensive stats.
In the playoffs, it’s not necessarily how many you score, but how many you allow.
The Cougars might be able to beat Kamloops 10-6 as they did on December 31st, but those games generally do not occur at crunch time.
To win playoff games against good teams, one needs to hold their opponent to under three per game.
The Cougars have only done that twice in their last 18.
As mentioned, P.G. is not playing playoff hockey.
The good news for them is it is not officially playoff time.
However, if they don’t start winning low-scoring grinding kind of games in the near future, then when it is the actual playoff time the Cougars’ post-season appearance will be short and not so sweet.
Cat Scan podcast:
Jessica Toth is front & centre at @PGCougars home games. There isn’t a person in the building with more energy. She sings the national anthem, is the in-game host, & is in charge of corporate sponsorships. She
comes from a musical background. Her story is in the Cat Scan podcast. https://t.co/J9LFbSWfOu— Hartley Miller (@Hartley_Miller) January 18, 2023
Taking Note:
A look back at Sobchuk’s 10-point night . . . Broncos put up sold-out sign for Bedard visit . . . Lucius set for Portland debut https://t.co/sKTb9ITJIN
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) January 20, 2023
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
As we move to the 2nd round of the NFL playoffs, who’d have predicted the oldest starting QB still playing, by a few years, would be 29 years old? (Dak Prescott.)
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Ohio State QB CJ Stroud is certain to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, but his detractors cite his tendencies to sometimes wind up before he throws. On the other hand, he could become the first QB in history to be called for a balk.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
A recent London study found most senior citizens reported feeling less tired than younger people do. “See?” said Bucs’ quarterback Tom Brady.
*Western Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Hartley Miller is the news and sports director/supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. He is in his 10th season as the radio colour commentator for Prince George Cougars’ home games. Hartley has been on the airwaves in PG since 1979 and is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).
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