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Late penalty proves Cat-killer |
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Written by Jason Peters
Citizen staff
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Friday, 30 October 2009 |
Hudson Stremmel is focused on six ounces of floating rubber as he makes a save during the first period of Friday’s game against the Tri-City Americans. Stremmel was solid in his WHL debut, with 34 saves as the game’s first star, but it wasn’t enough to save the Cats, who lost 3-2. (Citizen photo by Brent Braaten)
Hudson Stremmel did what every goaltender is supposed to do - he gave his team a chance to win. But, he and his new Prince George Cougars teammates fell just short of victory against one of the elite clubs in the Western Hockey League.
Friday night at CN Centre, the Tri-City Americans edged the Cougars 3-2 after they scored a power-play goal with just 15.5 seconds left in regulation time. The visitors peppered Stremmel with 37 shots and, by all rights, should have won by more than they did. The fact that the game was up in the air until the very end was a credit to Stremmel, an 18-year-old stopper who joined the Cougars earlier this week from the Colorado College Tigers of the NCAA. Stremmel used his six-foot frame to his advantage and showed no panic, even when his team was under pressure.
“I thought Hudson was excellent,” said Cougars head coach Dean Clark. “He came in, in a not really familiar situation, having only been here for a couple days, and gave us a chance. He was a heck of a goalie for us, and no fault on the last one. If we have that kind of goaltending, we’re going to give ourselves a chance every night.
“I’m happy for him and I’m happy he’s here with us.”
Unfortunately, Stremmel’s fine night was tarnished by the late Tri-City power-play marker, scored by Jordan Messier from the left side of the net. Messier took a cross-ice feed from Drydn Dow and made no mistake. Stremmel had no chance on the play, even though he begged to differ.
“There’s always a chance,” he said.
“That’s tough to handle, especially with 15 seconds left.”
The power play was given to the Americans after a high-sticking call against Prince George’s Dallas Jackson.
Stremmel looked poised and confident all night, especially considering he was seeing his first game action of the fall. With his previous team, a Colorado College club that had three goalies on its roster, he only got crease duty during the exhibition schedule.
“I felt all right,” said Stremmel, a native of Reno, Nev. “A couple ones I thought I should have had, or competed more on, but we’ve got another one (tonight).”
The Americans spent a good chunk of the night with the puck in their possession and that limited the number of quality chances the Cougars were able to generate. The Cats, however, did get much stronger as the game progressed. In the third, they outshot the Ams 13-7. Over the course of 60 minutes, they threw 27 shots at goaltender Drew Owsley.
The Americans, ranked fifth in the Canadian Hockey League, led 1-0 after the first period and 2-1 after two. They have now won 18 of their past 21 meetings with the Cougars, including going 4-0 last season.
The Cougars got the tying goal at 7:49 of the third period when Jackson blasted a power-play point shot through Owsley’s equipment. Just seconds earlier, Jackson had nailed the post from the same spot on the ice.
In the middle frame, the Americans moved into a 2-0 lead on a goal by Patrick Holland,
his first of the season. In the last minute of the period, Parker Stanfield got the Cougars on the board while they were on a power play. Stanfield carried the puck down the left side and, when he reached the goal-line, surprised Owsley with a quick backhander. Stanfield, who hasn’t had much puck luck this season, was fortunate this time because his shot found daylight in between Owsley’s right skate and the post.
Stremmel’s first WHL period was a busy one. The Americans fired 17 shots at him and scored on their 10th, a wrister from the left faceoff circle by Adam Hughesman that found the top right corner of the net. Just prior to the goal, the Cougars failed to convert on a 2-on-1 at the other end of the rink. On that play, Robbie Ciolfi broke in with Taylor Makin and tried to make a late pass but was in too deep to get anything done.
The only real pressure the Cougars applied in the first came after an Americans’ giveaway deep in their own zone. At the end of the sequence, Brock Hirsche had a rebound opportunity but came up dry.
The Cougars saw their record slip to 3-11-0-0 and the Ams improved to 12-3-0-0.
The Cats and Ams will meet again tonight at CN Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 October 2009 )
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a winning streak....
of one!