The Cougars are the first team in the WHL to surpass the 20-win mark.
The Prince George Cougars are an absolute wagon this season. The WHL's number-one-ranked team has outscored opponents 131-74, with individual players leading in the league in various categories. While most of the attention has been on the offence, their defensive play has taken a massive step forward, as they have become one of the hardest teams to score on.
With 74 goals allowed in 28 games, the Cougars currently rank second only behind the powerhouse Saskatoon Blades in goals allowed per game at 2.64. A big reason for that is their ability to prevent the opposition from getting shots on their net. So far this season, they have allowed an average of 28.25 shots per game, again falling second to only the Blades. While having the puck constantly in the offensive zone does play a factor, their ability to get sticks in the line and play a physical game along the boards has made them one of the strongest defensive teams in the league.
The other reason behind their defensive success has been rookie goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen. In 14 games, he has a ridiculous .944 save percentage, a goals-against average of 1.63 and five shutouts. His story is even better because he wasn't even drafted into the WHL, yet he looks to have developed into one of the best goaltenders in the league. While Terik Parascak has been fantastic this season, if Ravensbergen can keep up this level of play, it could be a different Prince George walking away with rookie of the year.
While the Cougars offensive play has been impressive, they deserve more credit for how they have played defensively. They have proved time and time again this season that they can shut down some of the best offences in the league, which should help come playoff time. They are one of the CHL's best teams this season, and they should have no problem making it to the West Final this season.