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Cats' golf tourney reunites two Tylers

Tyler Brough and Tyler Bouck used to be mortal enemies. Bouck once got so angry at Brough, just before they became teammates on the Prince George Cougars, he literally threw the book at him.
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Tyler Brough and Tyler Bouck used to be mortal enemies.

Bouck once got so angry at Brough, just before they became teammates on the Prince George Cougars, he literally threw the book at him.

It happened in a triple-A midget playoff game in the winter of 1996 in Bouck's hometown of Sherwood Park, Alta., right after Brough had scored a pivotal goal for his team from Grande Prairie.

"We always seemed to match up against each other in league playoffs and he was always one of their top players and I was kind of one of our top players and we always went at each other," said Brough.

"I think the Cougars had drafted him and I was listed with them and Bouck was out with a shoulder injury sitting in the stands beside his dad, with all the Cougar brass, and my dad. I scored a goal - I can't remember but I think it was to win the series - and he was right in front of me so I (celebrated) right in front of him. The Cougars had given him a WHL guide and he came up over the glass and threw that book at me.

'My dad told me after that one of the Cougars, I don't know if it was (former owner) Rick (Brodsky) or one of the head scouts, looked over at both our dads and said: 'Is this going to be a problem?'"

As it turned out, once Bouck and Brough arrived in the Cougars camp the following summer along with rookies Scott Myers and Blair Betts, they soon became the best of buddies.

Bouck, drafted by Dallas in the second round, 57th overall in 1998, went on to play 93 NHL games with the Stars, Coyotes and Canucks in a 14-year pro career that included stops in the IHL, AHL, Finland and Germany. The 35-year-old father of three sons retired in 2014 and now lives in Kelowna where he works in advertising sales for Shaw Communications.

Bouck and Brough will be reunited once again through sport this weekend when they play in the fourth annual Cougars Alumni Hospital Charity Golf Tournament at Prince George Golf and Curling Club. As alumni president, Brough has been trying to get Bouck to come for the tournament the past three years but it conflicted with the start of his training camp in Germany and happened last year right when his wife was giving birth to their youngest son.

Bouck, one of the most popular captains in the Cougars' 21-year history in Prince George, returned last September to drop the puck at the home-opener but hasn't been around his Cougar teammates since he left the city in 2000.

"To get together with all players in a social setting like this will be great and I'm looking forward to seeing the city and the fans and the excitement that's grown around this tournament," said Bouck. "It's unreal how the community has supported this tournament and I'm just happy to be a part of it."

Brough, 36, lives in the city and works as a CN Rail electrician. He played with Bouck for three seasons from 1996-99 and has nothing but good memories of being around him.

"He's probably the best leader I've ever played with or for," said Brough. "He put everything on the line and held everybody accountable and led by example. He pretty much summed up this town. He was a hard-nosed player who could put the puck in the net but could drop the mitts at the same time."

Bouck's young family takes most of his free time and he hasn't been golfing much, unlike Brough, a serious golfer who will bring a seven-handicap to the course on Saturday.

"He's got a lot of pressure, being the head of the alumni," said Bouck, a Cougar from 1995-2000. "I have no idea how guys play but if there's a cheating element then I bet Brougher should be in the money. I know what he's like.

"We had a pretty good hatred going on when we started playing each other when we were in bantam so it's kind of funny we both ended up in Prince George together. We butted heads pretty good but it was nice to play with each other.

"I love Prince George, playing there was a lot of fun. A lot of people complain about the travel but I think that's what brings teams together. We had a pretty close group of guys and it was a blast. We battled hard together and were always together on and off the ice and it was a real brotherhood that was developed there."

Dan Hamhuis and Westcana Electric teamed up last year to win the tournament and get their names engraved on the Michael Fogolin Memorial Trophy, named in honour of the former Cougar defenceman who died in his sleep at age 17 at his home in Edmonton.

Hamhuis, an avid golfer, has been part of the winning team all three years and fetches the biggest bucks in the auction to determine which Cougars play with each of the local business team sponsors. All money raised goes to the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to purchase medical equipment for University Hospital of Northern B.C. Last year the tournament raised more than $62,000 to help pay for a $1.4 million SPECT CT scanner. In its first three years combined the alumni tournament brought in $130,000 to improve health care in the region.

The alumni players will get together for a meet-and-greet autograph session with Cougar fans today from 4-5 p.m. at the PGGCC, followed by the player auction. There will also be items up for bid in a silent auction. The 37-team tournament starts Saturday at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start.