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Colby signs with AHL's San Jose Barracuda

Prince George Cougars veteran Colby McCauley has signed a two-year contract with the American Hockey League's San Jose Barracuda.
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Prince George Cougars veteran Colby McCauley has signed a two-year contract with the American Hockey League's San Jose Barracuda.

The move comes after McAuley inked an amateur tryout contract with the Barracuda at the end of the Cougars' 2016-17 campaign and registered two assists in four games.

A native of Sherwood Park, Alta., he was a free-agent invite to Cougars' 2014 training camp and had remained on the team ever since.

Over the course of 191 games, he scored 44 goals and accumulated 52 assists along with 318 penalty minutes and was a plus-17.

In 2016-17, he set new season highs offensively with 26 goals, 29 assists and led the team in playoff scoring with four goals and four assists in six games. He served as an alternate captain in each of the past two seasons.

"Colby has worked relentlessly over the past three seasons to get himself to this point and to see him sign professionally with the San Jose Sharks organization is a testament to his passion and his commitment to the game of hockey," said Cougars general manager Todd Harkins.

"Colby McAuley is proof that it doesn't matter if you're drafted to the WHL, or drafted to the NHL - If you work hard enough and you have the right focus, you're going to get opportunities at the next level."

The Barracuda continue their best-of-seven playoff series with the San Diego Gulls on Friday night. So far the series is tied 1-1.

- The Cougars have signed 2000-born defenceman Jack Sander, of Beaumont, Alta., to a standard player agreement.

Sander (6'1", 166 pounds) is a left-handed shot and has played each of the past two seasons with the Leduc Oil Kings, who won the Alberta midget AAA champonship this past season and competed in the recent Telus Cup in Prince George..

In 34 games he notched three goals along with eight assists and added an additional two goals and five assists in 14 playoff games.

In five games at the Telus Cup, Sander had a goal and an assist.

"There's a lot to like about Jack's game. He's an offensive-minded defenceman that has great feet and can push the pace of play," Harkins said.

"He reads the game well, has a high hockey IQ to create offensive plays without jeopardizing the defensive side of his game. We're thrilled to welcome Jack and his family to the Prince George Cougars organization."

Sander turned 17 on May 1 and will be attending his first training camp with the Cougars in August.