|
| |
|
|
|
Cougars 5-0 at home |
|
|
Written by JIM SWANSON
Citizen Sports Editor
|
|
Thursday, 09 October 2008 |
Cougars Cody Hobbs with the puck being checked by Raiders Ryan Harrison during first period action at CN Centre. (Citizen photo by Brent Braaten)
Related Items
DREW SCHONECKKELOWNA ROCKETSMEMORIAL CUPSWIFT CURRENT BRONCOSVANCOUVER GIANTSCOUGARSBRETT CONNOLLYDANA TYRELLGREG FRASERPRINCE GEORGE COUGARSPRINCE ALBERT RAIDERSTREVOR BAUERCAMERON CEPEKTORONTO MAPLE LEAFSKEVIN ARMSTRONGMATT CUMMINGKITTY LITTERMAREK VIEDENSKY
The present is also the future, or vice versa -- and it looks awfully good on the Prince George Cougars.
The Cougars, led by stellar games from veteran Dana Tyrell and rookie Brett Connolly, scored two goals in the third period Wednesday to skate out of town with a 3-2 over the Prince Albert Raiders.
The Cougars, who now embark on a nine-game road swing that starts Friday in Kamloops, are sitting pretty in the standings - 6-1-0-0 overall, and 5-0-0-0 on home ice.
Tyrell had two goals and an assist, and Connolly assisted on all three, an impressive outing for the forward trio that also included import Marek Viedensky.
“Me and Connolly are getting more chemistry every day and I’m excited to play with him,” said Tyrell, easily the best player on CN Centre ice.
“Viedensky is a great player. He works hard, and I need that - I need someone to work in the corners with me, and Connolly can put the puck in the net. We’re a good match. We had a slow second period, but we were all over them. That third period showed it, we really worked hard and we really wanted to win that one.”
The only time in his four years as a Cat that Tyrell can recall this kind of positive vibe in the dressing room was the 2007 playoff run that saw Prince George sweep Kamloops and upset Everett, eventually eliminated by the Vancouver Giants - who went on to win the Memorial Cup.
“It’s similar to that, and I haven’t had this feeling in the room with the guys in quite some time,” said the Tampa Bay Lightning second-rounder. “It’s different. It’s good.”
Tyrell scored the opening goal, completing a dandy power-play feed from Viedensky, who may already be the best import forward the Cougars have ever drafted.
Tyrell also brought his team back from the brink of its first home loss with a breakaway goal in the third period, a marker carved out by a NHL-quality saucer pass from Connolly to a streaking Cougars captain.
Both Tyrell and Connolly notched their third points on Cameron Cepek’s game-winning goal with 7:22 to play in the third.
“We were joking about that, he said he’d ‘chuck some sauce’ at me, and we always try to see who can chuck the best sauce,” said Tyrell, referring to the waist-high stick-seeker that Connolly dropped right on his stick.
“It was a great pass. That was my first breakaway of the year and I’m glad I finished it.”
When it comes to coaching at the WHL level, it’s about putting the collective goal of 20 players ahead of one bruised ego - and the top line’s offensive work aside, that tough decision Wednesday, it can be argued, led the Cats to victory.
With the Cougars up 1-0, the Raiders scored twice in a 44-second span on nearly identical goals - uncontrolled shots that led to easy putaways. Ian Curtis was making his first start of the season and Cougars head coach Drew Schoneck made the quick decision to hook the 18-year-old sophomore, with the plan to put him back in after a brief chance to regroup. Problem was, the next stoppage came when Cepek was sent to the box, putting the Cougars down a man, and the re-enter plan was scrapped.
Curtis did not do a good job of hiding his displeasure, eventually heading for the dressing room. The backup was back minding a gate in the third period.
“We gave up a couple soft ones, but I really challenged the guys after the second period to come out strong,” said Schoneck.
“(Curtis) let in two, back-to-back and same play. He struggled, we put (Kevin Armstrong) in, and my original thought was to give him a breather to see how he reacts. I didn’t think it was fair to put him back in for a penalty kill. Ian got mad at it, didn’t like that choice, so we stuck with Army.
“(Curtis) is a competitor and he wants to play, but it’s a coaching decision and we’ll deal with it internally. My responsibility is to win hockey games and whoever’s in goal has to toe the line just like anyone else.”
Armstrong stopped all 16 shots he faced. Curtis faced 12 shots before he exited stage left.
The game marked the return of defenceman Garrett Thiessen, the 19-year-old local product who played two seasons for the Cats. Prince George traded him to the Raiders prior to the season.
“It was exciting to come in and play in front of family and friends, but we fell short and that’s disappointing,” said Thiessen. “(The Cougars) are actually working hard, blocking shots and getting in lanes, doing little things. You have to give them credit, they came out to play tonight.”
Raiders coach Bruno Campese, a former BCHL head man, wasn’t pleased with his club’s road game - aside from goaltender Steven Stanford, who was top-drawer in blocking 41. The Cougars outshot the Raiders 20-9 in the third period alone, finishing on top of that category by a 44-28 margin.
“(Stanford) was good tonight, and both our goalies (Garrett Zemlak is the other) have been good all season long,” said Campese.
“I didn’t think we competed hard in the first 20... give Prince George credit, I thought they were really good. They played a good game.”
KITTY LITTER: Attendance was announced at 2,524... Among the scratches for the Raiders was former P.G. resident Brent Martin, a winger out with a back problem. Martin comes from the well-known famous family formerly led by the late Joe Martin, whose name is on the Little League diamond in the Hart.
.. Matt Cumming, Trevor Bauer, Greg Fraser and Tyler Halliday were the healthy scratches for the Cats... Thiessen was given the start on defence for the Raiders... Cougars list goaltender Joel Danyluk, the 18-year-old farmed to Yorkton of the SJHL, is acting as the emergency backup for the Swift Current Broncos, who have starter Travis Yonkman on the injured list (shoulder). Danyluk remains on the Cougars’ list... The Kelowna Rockets, who play host to the Cougars on Saturday, found out Wednesday that overage defenceman Tyson Dowzak won’t be returning after signing a pro deal with the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Rockets are already dealing with the loss of D Luke Schenn, who will start the season in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
 |
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, 09 October 2008 )
|
|
|
Who's Online
We have 192 guests and 16 members online
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
I know the citizens of PG are not too fond of the Cougars owner and the way the team has been run, but if the Cougars move, and eventually that will happen if fan support does not improve, then the town will be left with an empty shell. At least the paying seats will be empty. And then where will the money come from to pay for the operation of the CN Centre?
There is only one source, and that's the taxpayers.
So what's more important to the hockey fans of PG: your stubborn pride, or your love of hockey, regardless of who sits in the owners seat?