The Prince George Cougars ended a lengthy five-game Western Hockey League roadtrip Saturday in Kelowna and it didn't go as the Cougars had planned.
They lost 4-3 to the Rockets in front of an audience of 5,231 but it wasn't for lack of trying.
Trying to become the first team to defeat the league-leading Rockets three times this season, the Cougars threw everything they could at their B.C. Division rivals and came close to tying it with goalie Ty Edmonds on the bench to allow a sixth skater.
But in the end, Tomas Soustal's power-play goal with 12:14 gone in the third period was enough to give the Rockets their 31st win in 40 games this season. The effort was there for the Cougars, but the two points escaped them.
"Mark [Cougars head coach Holick] asked the players to give their all, especially after such a long trip and five games and I think we did that," said Cougars assistant coach Roman Vopat. "You could tell at the end of the game we kind of ran out of energy but we fought all the way to the end and we were a tough opponent to the Kelowna Rockets tonight."
Seventeen-year-old sophomore winger Brad Morrison was in on all three Cougar goals and also came up with a strong effort defensively. Playing on a line with Aaron Macklin and Jansen Harkins, the Prince George native increased his point total to 25 in 35 games, four more points than Morrison achieved in 55 games as a rookie last season.
Morrison took a pass from Harkins and fired a shot on net that Rockets goalie Jackson Whistle stopped, but Macklin was there to get his stick on the rebound and tap it in for his second goal to tie the game 1-1 12:48 into the first period. Macklin hadn't scored since the first game of the season, Sept. 26 against Kelowna.
The 19-year-old from High River, Alta., came to Morrison's defence 6:32 into the third period when Rockets winger Tyrell Goulbourne flattened the smaller Morrison against the boards. Macklin fought Goulbourne and also drew the instigator penalty and a game misconduct but his actions provided the Cougars a lift.
"Mack is doing an unbelievable job and has earned himself a spot on that line, which is not easy to do," said Vopat. "He does exactly what the coaching staff asks him to do. That was a questionable hit, we thought it should be a two-minute boarding [penalty] and Mack went to his rescue. I don't know why he got the instigator, they both dropped the gloves at the same time."
The Rockets (31-6-3-0), winners of eight of their last 10, dropped the Cougars (19-21-0-0) two games below the .500 mark. Nick Merkley led the way with a goal and an assists, while Justin Kirkland and Dillon Dube also scored. Chase Witala, with his team-leading 21st of the season, and Cal Babych were the other Cougars goalscorers.
Babych's goal came 81 seconds after Soustal restored the Rockets two-goal lead and it gave the Cougars some late-game hopes of a comeback, after trailing Kelowna since the 10-minute mark of the game.
Very happy we got the win, Kelowna head coach Dan Lambert, told the Kelowna Daily Courier. They play a tough game and theyre hard on us, specifically in this rink. I think they take a lot of pride playing in Kelowna and their goalie plays extremely well. Hey, we battled hard.
Kelowna outshot the Cougars 33-29.
I liked our effort, said Holick. We went with a vastly younger lineup than we normally would, but I was happy with it. I thought the kids played extremely hard. A break either way, and were right back in it. The power-play goal at the end was the difference, obviously, but we had our chances; even 6-on-5 (at the end). We ask them to put forth an effort and let the chips fall where they may. I thought our effort was excellent tonight.
The Cougars 20-year-old forwards Jari Erricson and Chance Braid were healthy scratches. They were also without RW David Soltes (world juniors, Slovakia), D Kirk Bear (unspecified injury), RW Kody McDonald (upper-body injury), and D Josh Anderson (wrist injury). Kelownas scratches were: G Jake Morrissey, D Madison Bowey (world juniors, Canada), D Josh Morrissey (world juniors, Canada), LW Kris Schmidli (world juniors, Switzerland), D Mitchell Wheaton (upper-body injury), and LW Tanner Wishnowski (upper-body injury).
The Cougars started the weekend with a 5-4 loss to Vancouver Giants on Friday and finished their trip with a 2-3-0-0- record. The Cougars, who haven't skated on CN Centre ice since Dec. 17, will be back in action Tuesday and Wednesday when they host the Tri-City Americans.
