The Kootenay Ice are on a miniature win streak, which they’ll be looking to extend to five- and six-game stretches on the prairies this weekend.

Many teams would consider four in a row a nice feat, but for the 34-16-2-2 Ice — still glowing from a recent 14-game tear — it’s small potatoes.

Tonight, they’re in a province that knows a thing or two about potatoes, visiting the Brandon Wheat Kings. These same Manitobans handed the Ice their last overtime loss on Jan. 26 in Cranbrook.

“You’ve got to be sharp every shift against them, because they’ve probably got the best nine forwards (of any team in the league),” said Kootenay assistant coach Kris Knoblauch. “Their defence is big and strong and quite a bit older than most teams. You have to play a really good game against them.”

The Ice had held a 5-3 advantage over the Wheaties the last time they played, but Brandon finessed their way to the 6-5 extra-time victory.

Brandon, who is hosting this year’s Memorial Cup, is perched atop the Eastern Conference with 75 points.

A win Wednesday night over Moose Jaw gave Kootenay possession of second place for one day.

Calgary took over with a 4-1 victory over Medicine Hat on Thursday, creating a logjam atop the Central Division. The Hitmen, Ice and Tigers all have 72 points, but the Cowtowners have picked them up in the fewest games.

Kootenay and Medicine Hat are fourth and fifth, 10 points up on the Red Deer Rebels.

The Ice will play the Regina Pats on Saturday. Their 52 points is seven shy of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.

The Ice will be looking for their second win of the week against the Pats, dispatching them 2-1 in a shootout Monday.

That game was rescheduled from Jan. 24 when ugly weather scuttled Kootenay’s travel plans.

“We’ll be at the end of a road trip, and playing a very familiar (opponent) you just played the week before. We’ve had a funny schedule where we’ve been doing that a lot this year,” said Knoblauch, noting the Ice didn’t have to wait long to play the Prince Albert Raiders after they stopped Kootenay’s club-record win streak.

“We came back home and played them within the week. We just played Moose Jaw (Wednesday), and we’ll see them again next Tuesday at home. There are a lot of (out-of-division) back-to-back games in different rinks. This one just happens to be in the same rink.”

The Ice established a boring road game early in Monday’s contest, and they’d like to try more of the same.

“The game plan is the same no matter who we’re playing,” said Knoblauch. “There are obviously key players we have to be aware of, but our game plan doesn’t usually change.”