In his first meaningful junior A hockey appearance, goalie Jake Sweet picked up right where he left the last time he was given a chance to impress a hometown crowd.
Sweet’s shutout form made all the difference for Team White in Sunday’s Prince George Spruce Kings all-star game at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena, preserving a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Team Grey.
The 17-year-old was unbeatable when he took his turn in goal to relieve starter Evan DeBrouwer. For a period-and-a-half he looked like the same poised puckstopper who made 50 saves to lead the Coast Inn of the North Cougars to a 1-0 triple-overtime win over Chilliwack in the Tier 1 midget provincial final to give them back-to-back B.C. banners.
“Getting into the prospect game was my goal and once I was into it I tried not to let anything in and I didn’t, so I guess I did the best I could,” said Sweet.
“Definitely there were some close calls and I don’t think I got tested as much as the other goalies but still... I thought I played my game, calm and composed, but there was one time when I coughed the puck up and there was a good chance. It’s fun because I never get shots like that except in camps like this.”
Sweet was at his best in the final minute when Grey goalie Bradley Copper was on the bench for the extra skater, making several great saves including a toe-kicker to deny Kyle Johnson.
The winner came with just 3:39 left on the clock. Right winger Ryan Stack had defenceman Brayden Davis draped all over him as he took the puck in deep on goal but still managed to thread a perfect pass to Shawn Kennedy, whose goalmouth chip-in got behind Cooper.
Braeden Young, one of Sweet’s Tier 1 midget teammates last season, opened the scoring 3:20 into the game with an unassisted effort for Team Gray.
Jarod Hovde made it a 2-0 count, banking one in off goalie DeBrouwer late in the period, a play set up by Kings veterans Johnson and Ben Brar, before Chong Min Lee got Team White’s offence fired up in the second period with a sharp-angle shot high over the shoulder of goalie Caleb Mitchell. Tom Sweeney tied it 2-2 with six minutes left after a face-off win over former Cariboo Cougar midget Brandon Rowley.
The Kings have just six returning regulars, including forwards Ethan de Jong (mononucleosis) and Ben Poisson (shoulder surgery), who have yet to skate in the camp. Hovde, 20, ranked third in team scoring last year with 19 goals and 45 points and he will be one of the leaders expected to set the example. He’s not worried about the fact Kings fans will need time to get familiar with this year’s crop of newcomers.
“We’re looking good out there, the coaches want to build around speed and I think we’ve got players out there with a lot of footspeed but also a lot of headspeed and they can go out there and think and play the game fast,” said Hovde. “There’s not a big group of us coming back, but I think every guy returning from last year is a top player on any team in this league, so we’re looking good.
“I had a very good year last year but the sky’s the limit and I can always improve my game. I worked hard over this summer and I think I’ll have another good season.”
One of the new faces who stood out for the right reasons on the weekend was right winger Patrick Cozzi. The 19-year-old from Greenlawn, N.Y., played last year for the New Jersey Avs midget team. He was held off the scoreboard Sunday but showed his speed, playmaking ability and hockey instincts playing on a line with fellow American Dustin Manz and 16-year-old Prince George minor hockey product Brandon Dent.
“It was a really fast-paced game, different from what I’m used to and it was a lot of fun,” said Cozzi. “Everyone’s a little faster, a little stronger, and I think I’ve adjusted pretty quickly and I can’t wait for the season to start. I’ve always wanted to play in the BCHL, it’s a great development league.”
Kings assistant coach Alex Evin tried to recruit him last year while still an assistant for the Port Alberni Bulldogs and head coach Adam Maglio followed up with another meeting at a tournament in the U.S., which convinced Cozzi to come to Prince George.
“Patrick is going to be a fan favourite, no doubt about it,” said Kings general manager Mike Hawes. “He’s not the biggest guy stature-wise (five-foot-10, 170 pounds) but plays hard every shift and is tremendously skilled.”
Rookie defenceman Layton Ahac had a scary facefirst fall into corner boards when he collided with Dylan Anhorn in the second period and did not return. Ahac, a third-round pick of the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2016 is being touted as one of the country's top 16-year-old blueliners.
