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Cougars look good six games in, but lots of season left |
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Written by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008 |
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DREW SCHONECKMEMORIAL CUPCOUGARSBRETT CONNOLLYCHILLIWACK BRUINSCOLBY KULHANEKDALLAS JACKSONDANA TYRELLJUSTIN MAYLANMARCUS WATSONPRINCE ALBERTPRINCE GEORGE COUGARSPRINCE GEORGEPGKOOTENAY ICEPRINCE ALBERT RAIDERSRED DEERTRI-CITYMOOSE JAW WARRIORSKEVIN ARMSTRONG
Not to put a damper on any premature parade-planning, but members of the Prince George Cougars themselves are quick to caution against using six games -- one-twelfth of the season -- as an indicator of where this WHL campaign is headed.
Might big things be in store? Don’t rule it out, but too much season lies ahead to take a six-game snapshot and use it to paint a season-long canvas.
A 5-1-0-0 record has chatter starting to rise around town as the Cougars get ready to face Garrett Thiessen and the Prince Albert Raiders tonight at CN Centre.
“We’ve never had a goaltender as good as (Kevin Armstrong),” one man said at the golf course.
“I don’t recall this much team speed, or forechecking,” said a man in a gas station.
“That was an entertaining game (Saturday), I’ll buy tickets to see that,” said a newsroom staffer.
Hold on. The team’s captain hasn’t called the engraver yet.
“We can’t start playing like we’re already going to the Memorial Cup, we have to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” said Dana Tyrell, who hasn’t been part of a season-opening stretch like this since he joined the Cougars four years ago.
“I’m really hearing a lot of excitement from people, they’re coming up to me and talking about it. I heard it at (Sunday’s Meet the Pack) ball hockey game, and the thing people like most is how hard we work. We have to keep working hard in practice, not let up.”
Tyrell, a first-time captain, hasn’t had to get on teammates to up the effort -- the energy forward has been able to stay within his game and lead by example.
“There’s not as much pressure when everyone is working hard and doing everything they can,” said Tyrell.
“The whole team is on the same page, and it’s made it easier to work hard and win games. We’ll really find out what we’re made of on the long road trip we have ahead of us.”
Armstrong, who has a 2.48 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in starting all six games, said he can see this team growing.
“We’ve stuck with games and really battled,” said Armstrong.
“It’s game experience, about living and learning and knowing that next time out, you have to be even more focused.”
As for suggestions the Cougars are 5-1, and 4-0 at home, largely because of weakness of schedule, head coach Drew Schoneck bristled.
“It’s five wins,” said Schoneck, whose team has beaten Seattle and Chilliwack twice each at home, winning in Chilliwack and losing in Vancouver against the B.C. Division-leading Giants.
“Points now are crucial, because you never know when you’re going to need them. We want to win every game.”
Schoneck singled out two players, who happen to be on opposite ends of the age spectrum, for their contributions in a weekend sweep of the Bruins. Kevin Armstrong, an overager, is tied for the WHL lead in wins, while 16-year-old centre Brett Connolly has more than impressed with five points, including three goals, in six games.
“(Armstrong) has played exactly the way we wanted him to play over the first six games, and he’s come with an appetite,” said Schoneck.
“He’s an older guy who settles things down, and he found a way to win it for us (in the shootout). Connolly is probably our most-skilled guy when it comes to handling the puck, and he showed it (against Chilliwack).”
n Former Cougars winger Evan Fuller is on his way back to his home province.
The 20-year-old from 150 Mile House, part of the Justin Maylan-Ty Wishart trade in January, was sent by the Moose Jaw Warriors to the Chilliwack Bruins on Tuesday along with overage defenceman Brett Ward for 18-year-old forward Brayden Metz and two bantam picks -- a sixth-rounder in 2009, and a fifth-round choice in 2010.
Metz was a first-round pick by Regina in 2005, 21st overall.
The Bruins, who had physical forward Partik Bhungal as their only 20-year-old last weekend, now have a full complement of three, while the Warriors are down to just Ryley Grantham.
GAMEDAY
PRINCE GEORGE -- The Cougars are fresh off their second home doubleheader sweep of the season, beating Chilliwack 4-1 and 4-3, the latter in a shootout. Last season, the team didn’t sweep a single two-game set at home -- and there are 11 of those situations left on the schedule this season... C Cody Rainaldi was sent to Portland on Monday, reducing the roster to 24 active players. Only C Marcus Watson, who is home in California recovering from leg surgery, is injured... With a healthy lineup, four players will be numbers scratches tonight... After tonight, the Cougars head south for a Friday game in Kamloops and a Saturday date in Kelowna. Following a brief stop in P.G., the Cats head on a seven-game trip with stops in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Cranbrook and Spokane. One-quarter of the team’s road schedule is done before the next home date, Oct. 29 against Prince Albert... LW Colby Kulhanek doesn’t have a goal -- he almost had a crucial empty-netter -- but he is an impressive plus-6 through six games... D Dallas Jackson is on top in points with nine (four goals, five assists) in six games. He leads the club in goals, assists, points and power-play goals, and the 19-year-old is tied for fourth in penalty minutes with 14.
PRINCE ALBERT -- The Raiders don’t exactly have an easy schedule coming up, either. Tonight starts a six-game trip through B.C., with further games in Chilliwack, Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna and Cranbrook, home of the Kootenay Ice. The Raiders are coming off a 5-4 overtime win on home ice over Medicine Hat, and have won three of their past four outings... If the Raiders’ bus driver gets lost, Garrett Thiessen can help. The P.G. minor hockey product, traded to Prince Albert by the Cougars last month, is coming off one of his best statistical games in the WHL -- he had two assists and was plus-2 in a 3-2 loss to Tri-City last weekend. Not only was it his first multi-point game, but it was also the first time he was plus-2 or better in a game... A tip of the cap to Raiders 16-year-old Ryan Aasman, the team’s first-round bantam pick from 2007, who is expected to play tonight. Aasman, a defenceman, lost his father Tony to cancer on Sept. 17. Tony was well-known in minor hockey circles for his coaching work out of Medicine Hat. “My mom pretty much told me to leave,” said Aasman with a chuckle, in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “It was just time to get back, time to get on with things.”
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 October 2008 )
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