So close, yet so far for the Prince George Cougars.
A night after pulling within two points of the Victoria Royals in the Western Hockey League standings, the Cougars saw the Royals take back their four-point cushion Saturday with a 3-2 win at the Save-On-Foods Memorial arena in Victoria.
The Cougars (9-12-1-3) trailed 2-1 after 20 minutes as Ben Walker beat Prince George rookie Brett Zarowny twice in the opening frame. But the 17-year-old goalie stoned Walker on a penalty shot.
Prince George took an early 1-0 advantage on defenceman Raymond Grewal's first WHL goal, during an early power play. Jarrett Fontaine tied the game at 2-2 midway through the second period with his third goal of the season.
It stayed scoreless until the 17:04 mark of the final period when Brett Cote beat Zarowny with a shot from the point for his third goal of the season with multiple players scrambling in front of the Cougars goalie. Prince George pulled Zarowny for the extra attacker but couldn't beat Royals goalie Patrik Polivka who made 31 saves in posting his 10th win of the season.
Zarowny was solid in the Cougars net stopping 25 of the 28 shots he faced.
Zach Pochiro was scratched from the Cougars' lineup Saturday after suffering an undisclosed injury in Friday's game. Caleb Belter returned to the Cats' lineup for Game 2 after serving a three-game suspension.
The Cougars beat the Royals (13-12) 5-4 on Friday. After the game the Cougars returned to Prince George where they'll prepare to face the Royals again Friday and Saturday (7 p.m. starts) at CN Centre. Victoria hosts the Moose Jaw Warriors on Tuesday before making their journey north for the rematch with the Cougars.
Nachbaur reaches milestone
Prince George native Don Nachbaur coached his 1,000 regular-season game in the WHL on Saturday leading his Spokane Chiefs to a 5-2 victory over the Tri City Americans.
Nachbaur coached the Americans from 2003 to 2009 (423 games).
Only three other coaches in WHL history have achieved the 1,000-game plateau. The other coaches to reach the milestone are Ken Hodge, Ernie McLean and Lorne Molleken. Hodge is the all-time leader having coached 1,411 games with Edmonton and Portland while McLean coached 1,067 games with Estevan and New Westminster.
Molleken reached the plateau this season as coach of the Saskatoon Blades and sits at 1,016. Before joining the Blades he coached in Regina and Moose Jaw.
Nachbaur started his coaching career with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 1994-95 when he won his first of three Dunc McCallum Memorial trophies as the top WHL coach. In 408 games with the T-birds, Nachbaur posted 202 wins. He had 229 wins in six season with the Americans. In three seasons as the Chiefs' bench boss, Nachbaur has coached 167 games winning 102.
Fordyce lands with AJHL Bandits
Former Prince George Cougars goaltender Devon Fordyce has joined the Alberta Junior Hockey League Brooks Bandits.
The 18-year-old has suited up for two games with the Bandits - the top junior A team in Canada - earning wins over the Olds Grizzlies and Calgary Mustangs while stopping 47-of-49 shots for a .959 save percentage.
Fordyce isn't the only former Cougar on the Bandits roster as forwards Shane Pilling and Taylor Makin are also playing in Brooks. Pilling has five goals, 33 points, while Makin has seven goals and 22 points.
The Bandits have a 24-1 record with their only loss coming to the Grande Prairie Storm (17-7-2). Gus Correale, a former Prince George product, leads the Storm in scoring with 24 points.
Fraser rockets up BCHL leader board
Another former Cougar, Greg Fraser, is making an impact as a 20-year-old with his hometown Nanaimo Clippers as he cracked the B.C. Hockey League's top-10 scorers on the weekend, moving into eighth spot with nine goals and 30 points.
Fraser played four seasons with the Cougars before switching to the BCHL for his final year of junior eligibility.
