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Written by JASON PETERS, Citizen staff
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Monday, 24 November 2008 |
Late in the third period, they already knew they would be finishing their own event on a high.
Michael Whitmore helped make the finale even more satisfying for the Sun Life Financial Cougars.
Whitmore, a 15-year-old goaltender, stopped everything the Fort St. John Flyers sent his way Sunday morning at Kin 2. In a game for seventh and eighth place at the Rona midget Tier 2 hockey tournament, the Cougars stepped off the ice as 4-0 winners.
“It feels good,” Whitmore said of earning the shutout. “I came into the tournament struggling a little bit but it feels good to turn it around.”
Until the early stages of the second period, the teams were deadlocked in a 0-0 tie. Then, the Cougars sparked an offensive explosion. They scored four times in the last 14 minutes of the middle frame, the goals by Darrian Estey, Clark Scott, Parker Sjodin and Brandon Baker.
And make no mistake -- Whitmore was thankful for the breathing room.
“It was a big relief,” said Whitmore, a second-year rep player. “You never like to have it so that if you make a mistake, it could cost you the game.”
For Whitmore, however, there were no mistakes.
He made key saves throughout the game, including stops in the final 10 minutes on Dayne Pedersen and Tyler Kramer to keep the shutout intact. Whitmore denied Pedersen at the right post with a sliding pad save and then blocked Kramer’s wrist shot from between the faceoff circles.
“Our goaltender made the saves when he had to,” said Cougars head coach Wes Scott. “As I told the guys, every once in a while you’re going to make a mistake and that’s why the goalie makes the big money.”
Another factor in the Prince George victory was secondary scoring. The Cats often rely on guys like Sjodin and Baker for goal production, so to get markers from Estey and Clark Scott was a bonus. And, defensively, the Cougars were strong from start to finish.
The victory against the Flyers was a form of redemption for the Cats. During Saturday pool play, they had a 2-1, third-period lead against Fort St. John but ended up losing 5-2 after getting into penalty trouble. A win there could have qualified them for a playoff semifinal game.
Overall, the Cougars completed the tournament with a 2-3 record. In their other games, they lost 7-1 to Vanderhoof, beat a solid Vernon club 3-2 and fell 7-0 to Kelowna.
The Cats are formed mainly by 15-year-olds, the youngest age in midget hockey. The team’s weekend result was a definite step forward.
“We had lost six or seven in a row (prior to the tournament) and we had some games we gave away,” Wes Scott said. “The (Friday night) game against Vernon was probably the highlight so far of the year because every guy contributed. And then to be able to finish with a win, that’ll be the thing that we live with for a good week. It’s a real confidence boost for the boys, because we are young.”
Terrace and Kitimat played for the tournament championship on Sunday afternoon, and Terrace won 5-4 in overtime. The OT hero for Terrace was Ben Reinbolt.
In the bronze-medal game, Vanderhoof beat Vernon 4-1.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 24 November 2008 )
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