When it comes to personality Prince George Cougars' teammates Troy Bourke and Caleb Belter couldn't be more different.
"He's a farm boy and I'm a city boy," said Belter, after the Cougars' 4-3 overtime win Saturday over the Spokane Chiefs in front of an announced crowd of 1,822 at CN Centre. With the win the Cougars (20-43-0-2) snapped a seven-game losing skid, but remain five points back of the final Western Conference playoff spot in the Western Hockey League. "We're a little different but we get along pretty well."
Perhaps it's the differences in their upbringings that sparked a friendship between Bourke and Belter three years ago at Cougars' training camp and gives them the ability to generate magic on the ice.
"There's stuff he can teach me and stuff I can teach him," said Belter, an Edmonton native, who scored his sixth goal of the season after Bourke slid him the puck on a first-period power play tying the game at 1-1. "We grew pretty close from camp and living together we got really close. We do everything together up here."
Bourke grew up in Onoway, Alta., west of Edmonton, so the two future Cougars played against each other in various hockey tournaments growing up, though Belter, 18, is a year older. Prince George drafted Belter in the second round (25th overall) of the WHL bantam draft in 2008 and took Bourke, 17, 26th overall in 2009.
The duo, along with Prince George product Chase Witala, combined for five points Saturday as Bourke notched three assists, including setting up Witala for a second-period power-play goal and on defenceman Cody Carlson's winner 18 seconds into the extra frame during a four-on-three for the Cats.
"Playing with those guys is pretty crucial for me to get my game going and it's nice," said Bourke.
The Cougars' power play has limped along at about 11 per cent all season but with the new line combination was on fire as the trio helped the Cats go 3-for-5 with the man-advantage.
Bourke raved about playing with his friend and teammate after the game, especially after Belter's left knee appeared to be fine after the right-winger collided with a Chiefs' player in the final minute of regulation and left the ice without putting weight on his left leg.
"He's an unbelievable player and he makes stuff happen for me and makes me a better player," said Bourke. "We played against each other more than ever and we always battled. Now that we're on the same team we're best buddies and we've got, obviously, a little bit of chemistry."
Before joining the Cougars, Bourke spent his 15-year-old season playing with the St. Albert Raiders in the Alberta Midget Hockey League, while Belter spent his 15-year-old year playing in the same league with the Southside Athletic Club Athletics. Bourke finished the 2010 season with 27 goals and 53 points, finishing second in the AMHL scoring race.
Unfortunately for Belter, he missed most of the 2010 season after dislocating his right knee.
"You never want to feel that pain again," said Belter.
Cougars' head coach Dean Clark said he liked the energy generated by Belter, Bourke and Witala during the game, especially on the power play.
"I thought the three of them worked well together," said Clark, adding that Witala rebounded well from a tough outing in Friday's 4-1 loss to the Chiefs. "Troy, he's been our best forward player for the last month now.
"He's really stepped up his game and he's doing everything that he can to let us have success," added Clark. "He's such a gifted passer and playmaker and he sees the ice so well. He does everything at high speed. He's really rounding into form right now."
Bourke's usual linemates - Daulton Siwak and Alex Forsberg - both missed Saturday's game with injury. Siwak was hopping around CN Centre after suffering a sprained left ankle in Friday's loss, while Forsberg has missed 21 games since January with a lower-body injury
Clark said Forsberg could potentially be back in the lineup Tuesday for the first of two games against the Seattle Thunderbirds (21-41-1-1), which will conclude the Cougars' eight-game home stand.
