The Kootenay Ice tried a new look up front over the weekend, and they'll see if it doesn't give the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors fits tonight.

The line shuffling saw Cody Eakin sliding out to the wing, with Max Reinhart between him and Matt Fraser. Steele Boomer then took Eakin's spot between Joe Antilla and Kevin King.

Eakin hasn't spent a lot of time on the side in the WHL, but he did patrol the wing during Washington Capitals training camp, and for Team Canada at this year's World Junior tournament.

"You don't have to sink as low (defensively), but you've got to be aware," he said. "I like it in a way because I can come flying off the wing with a heap of speed and come down the wall and set up things on the rush. That way it benefits me.

"As a centreman I'm in the corners a little bit more, and I'm a little bit later, if I'm working down low, to get to the rush. Either way wherever I'm going to play I'm going to try my hardest."

The new top units played together in a win in Prince Albert on Saturday. Assistant coach Todd Johnson said Reinhart's line produced lots of chances beyond the three goals and four assists they accounted for.

"(Eakin) is a definite offensive threat every time he's on the ice, and putting him with Reinhart who plays similarly, our thinking is they will feed off each other," said Johnson. "Matt can really shoot the puck, so on paper it looks excellent. I think after the first game there, they did look good. Time will tell how long we keep those three together. Those are three pretty potent players for our team, so we need them going."

Eakin said it hasn't been difficult to pick up on his new linemates' tendencies.

"We have the same game plan, and our team's game plan, which is to work it down low and use speed for a quick transition game," he said. "With everyone on the same page, it makes it pretty easy."

Eakin has been very productive since the Ice acquired him in January. In 20 games, he's scored 13 goals and assisted on 19 others.

He has been held off the scoreboard only five times in his Kootenay tenure. Two of those happened last week, in second- and third-consecutive losses for the Ice.

Eakin said the last loss - 9-2 to the hands of the league-leading Saskatoon Blades last Friday - might not be such a bad thing.

"You can come out of it stronger, and I hope the guys in the room feel the same way," he said. "The hunger and never wanting to feel that again is unified. We're definitely going to come out strong after that game and we've got something to prove. Hopefully we can carry that chip on our shoulders throughout the last half dozen games and into playoffs. We'll definitely remember if we play them in playoffs."

Speaking of the postseason, tonight's match could be a first-round preview.

The teams entered the day separated by nine points, but are adjacent in the standings.

The Ice (41-21-1-3) are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, while the Warriors (36-24-2-3) are comfortably in fifth, 10 points up on Edmonton.

Moose Jaw holds a 2-1-0 record against Kootenay this year, with both of their wins coming in Saskatchewan.

Eakin said his club is aiming to play the Warriors tough tonight.

"When they walk out of here, they're going to know that if they have to play us in playoffs, that's the style we want to play and it's going to be tough on them," he said. "It's not going to be an easy fight."