Players intent on skating for the Cariboo Cougars this season - a year that will include an appearance in the Telus Cup national championship tournament - have now gone through final auditions.
The Prince George-based major-midget hockey team played five exhibition games over the course of four days and came away with a 2-2-1 record. The Cougars started with an 8-3 win against the Thompson Blazers on Thursday in Chase and then lost 7-5 to the Okanagan Hockey Academy on Friday in Kelowna.
On Saturday, also in Kelowna, the Cats battled to a 2-2 tie with the Vancouver Northeast Chiefs and then picked up a 3-2 win against the Delta Hockey Academy. The Cougars finished with a 4-2 Sunday loss against the Burnaby Winter Club.
Offensively, second-year forward Daine DuBois fired four goals - two against the Blazers and two against OHA. Other Cariboo marksmen during the trip included Hunter Floris (3), Trey Thomas (2), Devin Sutton (2) and Craig Macdonald (2). Macdonald also had a pair of assists against OHA for a three-point game.
Braydon Rawley, Kevin Filler, Myles Mattila, Brandon Dent, Jesse Pomeroy, Jeremy Gervais and Joel Patsey all scored single goals. As well, Brennan Malgunas helped spark the Cariboo attack with three assists in the game against the Blazers.
Goaltenders who saw duty included returning stopper Aaron Jakubowski and prospect Marcus Allen, who split the first two games and the fourth one. Zach Wickson got the call in the other two.
The 15- to 17-year-old Cougars have a number of players who missed the trip because they are trying to crack the rosters of junior teams. Ultimately, 20 players will secure spots on the Cariboo club's active roster.
The Cougars will start their 40-game regular season on Sept. 24 in Trail against the Kootenay Ice. They'll also face the Ice the next day.
As host of the Telus Cup, the Cougars will get an automatic berth in the tournament, April 24-30 at CN Centre. The six-team event will include Atlantic, Quebec, Central, West and Pacific regional champions.
The national midget championship, then known as the Air Canada Cup, was also held in Prince George in 2001.
