From Prince George to Cleveland, from Cougar to Monster, it didn't take long for Troy Bourke to adjust to playing in the American Hockey League.
A week ago in his pro hockey debut with the Cleveland-based Lake Erie Monsters, Bourke scored the winning goal and added two assists in a 5-0 win over the Rochester Americans in front of 12,685 fans at Quicken Loans Arena.
The following night, in a rematch with the Americans, Bourke picked up one assist in a 3-0 victory. The Cougars captain, who turns 20 on Sunday, has since been held off the scoreboard in a shootout loss in Chicago on Wednesday and in Friday's 4-3 defeat in Milwaukee. But there's no question he's off to a great start as a pro, with one goal and three assists in four games, and Cougars head coach Mark Holick is not surprised.
Holick was the head coach of the AHL's Syracuse Crunch for two seasons from 2010-12 and knows Bourke has the skill-set necessary to compete in the league. Whether the five-foot-11, 176-pound native of Onoway, Alta., he can stand up to the physical punishment remains to be seen.
"He had quite the first game and he's kind of leveled off, but he can always skate at that level,"said Holick. "The question he's going to have to put to bed is can he play against guys that size on a consistent level. You've got 200-pound guys who can skate like the wind and they're strong, and that's going to be his challenge.
"He's a smart kid, his hockey IQ is off the charts and if you're in the right position at that level and if he plays a sound positional game, he'll be fine."
The Monsters are the top farm club of the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs drafted Bourke in the third round of the 2012 NHL entry draft, 72nd overall.
Bourke, who signed an amateur tryout contract with the Monsters on March 19, will try to get his team back to its winning ways tonight in Chicago against the Wolves. With 11 games left in the season, the Monsters (28-29-0-8) rank 12th in the Western Conference, seven points out of a playoff spot.
Holick would love to have Bourke back with the Cougars for his final year of junior eligibility next season but there's always a chance he might stick around in the AHL. Zach Pochiro, another potential Cougar returnee, signed a pro contract last week with the St. Louis Blues and is now playing for the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. Todd Fiddler, a graduating Cougar, is also in the ECHL with the Colorado Eagles. Fiddler went pointless in a 6-3 loss to Utah Friday
"It bodes well for the program when guys move on and sign contracts," said Holick. "That's what we're there to do, to help guys reach their dream of playing in the National Hockey League."
Brandon Manning, a 23-year-old Prince George minor hockey product and former Spruce King, picked up an assist in a 6-4 loss Friday in Syracuse. That left Manning with six goals and 21 assists playing defence in his third season with the Phantoms. Manning ranks fourth overall in the AHL with 221 penalty minutes. Former Cougar captain Brett Connolly collected two assists. The 21-year-old Connolly now has 31 goals and 63 points in 71 games. Syracuse improved to 27-29-4-6, 11th in the AHL Eastern Conference. Adirondack (25-36-1-4) is last overall in the 30-team league.
