The Prince George Cougars have the most travel of any of the 22 WHL teams.
The Vancouver Canucks have the most travel of any of the 31 NHL teams.
The Cougars and Canucks also have something else in common.
Both teams play just about as well on the road as they do at home.
This season, the 5-7-2-2 Cougars have an away record of 4-3-0-2 (10 out of a possible 18 points).
Prince George is just 1-4-2-0 at the CN Centre (four out of a possible 14 points).
The Cougars conclude a string of seven straight away games tonight against the Silvertips in Everett, before they finally return home to play Everett again on November 10th and 11th.
The 6-4-2 Canucks are 4-1 on the road, with those five games all in one trip.
Vancouver is 2-3-2 at Rogers Arena.
This is a small sample size, but going back over the previous three years, there’s not much difference between the home and away record for both the Cougars and Canucks.
Game at a Glance, presented by @Vistaprint – Plenty of chances, but no goals for the #Canucks, who fall to the Devils 2-0. pic.twitter.com/BnfNrKMhTb
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 2, 2017
In 2016-17, Prince George earned 48 points at home (22-10-1-3) and 48 points on the road (23-11-2-0).
In 2015-16, PG accumulated 44 points at home (21-13-1-1) and 33 on the road (15-18-2-1).
In 2014-15, the Cougars picked up 35 points at home (16-17-1-2) and 32 on the road (15-19-1-1).
In the last three plus seasons, including 2017-18, the Cougars have 60 home wins and 57 road victories.
.@PGCougars raise 1st BC Division banner in team’s 24yr history; hoping to bring luck on opening night ? @spokanechiefs | #CityOfPG @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/vwTqmHbjYK
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) September 23, 2017
Meanwhile, the Canucks were better at home last season, but not the previous two years.
In 2016-17, Vancouver earned 42 points at home (18-17-6) and 27 on the road (12-26-3).
In 2015-16, Vancouver collected 35 points at home (15-21-5) and 40 on the road (16-17-8).
In 2014-15, the Canucks picked up 50 points at home (24-15-2) and 51 on the road (24-14-3).
In the last three plus seasons, the Canucks have 59 home wins and 56 road victories.
As the numbers suggest, over the last 200 plus regular season games for both teams, the win difference at home compared to the road is marginal.
When following hockey as a youngster (yes, that was many years ago) teams usually had a goal of winning 2/3 of their home games and half on the road.
There aren’t many teams that win 67% of the games in their own rink, although the 500-away record now seems a modest target considering that so many free points are handed out for losing in overtime or a shootout.
I’m not sure anyone can pinpoint why the Cougars and Canucks have not been significantly better in front of their own fans.
Sure, there is more pressure, distractions and expectation while playing at home, but there has to be more to it than that.
On the road, teams don’t have to worry about putting on a so-called “show,” which could mean they are more focused on the task at hand.
Don’t forget to sign your little hockey player up to be our 6th skater at Driving Force on Victoria! pic.twitter.com/KgDcS6i6eT
— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) November 2, 2017
The Cougars and Canucks have longer home-stands than most teams and both have struggled putting together a lengthy home winning streak.
In the Cougars case, they often play back-to-back home doubleheaders against the same opponent.
One could argue that beating the same team twice in as many nights is more difficult than beating a different opponent when the games are spread out.
Most players and coaches would rather compete in their own building, yet data shows it doesn’t seem to matter the venue for the Cougars and Canucks, who have not taken much advantage of their home ice.
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel says he thinks the balls are “juiced 100%,” which means even more from someone whose home field is Minute Maid Park.
*Comedy writer Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va., http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.ca/
A World Series fan picked the first 6 games correctly, parlaying a $200,000 bet into $14,000,000. He didn’t bet on game 7, saying he needed the funds to pay for his Yankee season tickets, hot dogs and beer.
*Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver
There’s talk of including video gamers in future Olympics. Olympic gamers would be treated like all other athletes, except they’d be tested for “performance-enhancing ramen.”
*Conan O’Brien of TBS
The Knicks and the Nets have the worst odds of winning the title this season of any teams in the NBA. The odds are 1,000-1, which means if you were to bet $100 on the Knicks or Nets you would lose $100.”
*Tonight Show host Jimmy Kimmel
Former NBA commissioner David Stern thinks medical marijuana should be taken off the league’s banned substance list. Well, it’s high time.
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
The Winter Olympics are just 100 days away! That means you have just 100 days to pretend you understand curling.
*Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
New York police said they weren’t certain where a cow that wandered onto a Brooklyn soccer field came from. My first thought: Jersey.
*Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
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Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat.
He also is the 94.3 radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]
Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller