In the 29-year history of the Prince George Cougars, only three defencemen have scored 20 goals in a season and Hudson Thornton is one of them.
The 19-year-old Winnipeg native hit that milestone last Tuesday at CN Centre when he scored twice in the Cats’ 5-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs.
His second goal that night was the game-winner and it left him two goals behind Dustin Byfuglien for the Cougars record for most goals in a single season by a defenceman. Byfuglien set the bar in 2004-05. Joel Kwiatkowski scored 21 in 1997-98, the only other Cougar blueliner to break the 20-goal barrier.
“It’s pretty special and that’s something that doesn’t come without my teammates,” said Thornton. “I credit all my goals to them and I wouldn’t be even close to 20 if it wasn’t for them.”
Thornton has nine games left to try to catch Byfuglien’s record for goals and he’s also within five points of matching defenceman Christian Chartier’s single-season club record for points. Chartier set the mark with 68 points in 2000-2001. Thornton has 63.
The Cougars are in Kelowna tonight to take on the Rockets.
