One is the loneliest number.
Especially when it's the extent of a hockey team's winning streak four months into the season.
The Prince George Cougars maxed out at one all too often in 2013 and were sick and tired of it. So on Saturday they did something about. They beat the Blazers of Kamloops 3-1 to sweep the two-game weekend set at CN Centre, only the second time all season they've gone back-to-back in the win department.
After a disastrous three-game roadtrip last weekend tarnished by a pair of lopsided losses in Victoria and an equally uninspiring defeat in Vancouver Cougars coach Mark Holick challenged his veteran forwards to start showing their leadership qualities and for the most part they responded.
Zach Pochiro, stripped of his assistant captaincy earlier in the week along with Alex Forsberg, responded with a solid weekend effort centring a line with Wilson and Fiddler and they dominated the Blazers in both games. After combining for 12 points Friday, including a five-point night for Fiddler, the high-octane trio's production tailed off in the rematch. But they left no doubt about their game-breaking abilities Saturday, factoring in all three of their team's goals.
"I'm happy how the boys bounced back this weekend, it was a tough week for everyone and we did some team exercises and I think it helped a few guys and it showed," said Wilson, who collected four goals in the two games. "Hopefully we can string a few more wins together and get us into a playoff spot. Our line just works well together, we each bring a different piece to the line and it just kind of works."
With the win, the Cougars improved to 16-21-2-3, ninth in the Western Conference, while Kamloops (10-27-2-2) dropped further into the basement. Coaches on both sides had to breathing sighs of relief that Saturday's rematch in no way resembled Friday's relentless pyrotechnics display of offence that ended in a 9-5 Cougars' win.
"We were pretty short-staffed and I was pretty happy with the way the guys skated and thought we deserved batter after one but they stayed the course and the power-play goal was big with Pochiro picking up the puck and jamming it home," said Cougars head coach Mark Holick. "I'm proud of the way the guys compete, we had a real tumultuous week here and did a lot of soul-searching and our group responded quite positively and deserve the accolades they get.
"Our veterans played they way they are supposed to play at our level and if you look at the scoresheet their names are all over it and that's how you win in this league. But give Kamloops credit, with the game that was, last night, they came back here and battled hard and were with us almost every step."
After a scoreless uneventful first period, defenceman Marc McNulty took a pass from Pochiro and carried the puck in deep, laying a sharp-angle shot at the feet of goalie Taran Kozun, with Wilson ideally stationed in front to jam in the rebound to open the scoring eight minutes into the second.
Then on a Cougars' power play, McNulty, an 18-year-old Detroit draft pick, sailed a shot in from the high slot to collect his seventh of the season, set up by Fiddler and Jordan Tkatch, who had won the face-off in Kamloops territory.
The Blazers' goal came on a power play early in the third period, a superb individual effort from Cole Ully, who went ring-length with the puck, beating Josh Smith with an inside move and finishing with a deke through the legs of Ty Edmonds. But less than two minutes later, Pochiro stuck the dagger in, coralling a loose puck behind the net and wrapping it into the short side of the net. Fiddler assisted on that goal, his third point of the game, giving him a total of 13 points in the last three games against Kamloops.
"I just want to thank my linemates for that, Wilson puts in a lot of work in the corners and may not get the goals all the time and Pochiro does the same thing, he's really upped his game since we got back from Christmas and you can see why he was drafted," said Fiddler.
"The boys came out a little flat in the first three games on the road when we got back and if you want to win games your key guys have to be going each and every night, you can't expect your young guys to lead the way and I'm glad everybody on the first two lines picked up their games."
Edmonds made 19 saves to even his season record at 13-13-1-2. The 17-year-old rookie wasn't all that busy but was sharp when he had to be, coming out to challenge shooters, playing his angles well and using his stick to break up scoring chances. His stick save off Ully with nine minutes left in the third period was probably his best of the night. The Cougars put 40 shots in Kozun, who was much better net after being yanked after allowing five goals in the the first period Friday.
LOOSE PUCKS: Cougar forwards Jansen Harkins and Brad Morrison and their Team Pacific teammates are silver medalists after they lost 4-0 Saturday to the United States in the final at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Nova Scotia. With defenceman Tate Olson with Team West at the U-17s that left just 10 forwards and six defencemen in the Cats' lineup. Centre Alex Forsberg got pinned between two Blazers in the third period Friday and suffered an upper-body injury which kept him out Saturday. Goalie Brett Zarowny, defenceman Peter Kosterman, and forwards Chase Witala, Jari Erricson, David Soltes, and Brett Roulston were also out with injuries... The Seattle Thunderbirds visit Prince George Tuesday and Wednesday.
Saturday WHL summary
Blazers 1 at Cougars 3
First Period
No scoring
Penalties -- Rehill Kam (tripping) 17:33, Sterzer Kam (double butt-ending) 18:47.
Second Period
1. Prince George, Wilson 15 (McNulty, Pochiro) 8:04
2. Price George, McNulty 7 (Fiddler, Tkatch) 12:08 (pp)
Penalties -- Kornelsen Kam (embellishment), Wilson PG (slashing) 11:29, Connolly Kam (tripping) 11:50, Krienke Kam (delay of game) 15:43.
Third Period
3. Kamloops, Ully 18 (Connolly) 3:45 (pp)
4. Prince George, Pochiro 14 (Fiddler, Wilson) 5:21
Penalties -- Sterzer Kam (fighting), Tkatch PG (fighting) 1:02, McDonald PG (goaltender interference) 3:16, Lishchynsky PG (interference) 7:32, Rehill Kam (slashing), Pochiro PG (slashing) 11:11, Bourke PG (roughing) 13:47, Smith PG (check to the head) 17:30.
Shots on goal by
Kamloops448--20
Prince George141412--40
Goal -- Kamloops: Kozun (l,5-17-2-1); Prince George, Edmonds (W,13-13-1-2).
Power plays (goals-chances) -- Kam: 1-4; PG: 1-4.
Referees -- Curtis Marouelli, Jonathan Stephenson; Linesmen: Chris Carlson, Tom Henetiuk.
Attendance -- 1,553.
