Spokane Chiefs At Prince George

Time: Tonight at 7:30 in Prince George Coliseum.

Records: Spokane Chiefs (23-9-3), Prince George Cougars (7-25-1).

Radio: KGA-AM (1510). Hockey Tonight with Craig West, 6:30 p.m.

Key players: Spokane: D Sean Gillam (7 goals, 27 assists), C Trent Whitfield (18, 31), LW Dmitri Leonov (16, 28), LW Greg Leeb (24, 13), RW John Cirjak (17, 19), RW Randy Favaro (11, 21), D Hugh Hamilton (5, 29), C Darren Sinclair (14, 25), GK David Lemanowicz (3.01 goals-against), RW Jay Bertsch (7, 10).

Prince George: C Colin Cloutier, D Sheldon Souray, GK Chris Mason or Tyler Love, LW Ronald Petrovicky, C Peter Roed.

At a glance: Making a run on respectability, the Cougars are not to be overlooked. The Chiefs have the long bus ride to think about it after a brief Christmas respite. Chiefs start the second half tied with Tri-City for the lead in the WHL West, although Spokane has the better record. Without Jason Podollan, off with Team Canada in the World Junior Tournament, Chiefs still have more than enough goal-scoring pop to win on the road. Gillam comes in with two goals and and five assists in his last three games. Cirjak has five goals and nine assists in his nine-game win streak. Spokane wound up the first half on fire, unbeaten in its last 10 games. This is the first of a two-game series. The same two go at it again on Friday night. Chiefs play at home next on Jan. 3.

, DataTimes