With a little home cooking, the Prince George female Cougars are looking to climb to new heights in the standings before the Christmas break.
The female Cougars (5-6-1) are third in the five-team B.C. Female Major Midget AAA League, a point out of second and six points behind the first-place Fraser Valley Phantoms. This weekend the Cougars host their inaugural super weekend, where all five teams gather together to play.
Madison Fjellstrom, the Cougars leading scorer and the BCFMML player of the month for November, said she's happy with the team's progress in the last month.
"I'm looking forward to maybe winning more games than we did last time," said Fjellstrom, referring to the fact the Cougars only won a single game during the season-opening super weekend. "Our team's gotten stronger so I think we're probably going to win more."
In November the Cougars posted a 2-1-1 record against the Phantoms (9-3-1) and Pacific Ravens (5-6-2), sweeping a road trip in Richmond against the Ravens after gaining a tie versus the defending champion Phantoms at home.
The Cougars first game of the super weekend event is today, 10:15 a.m., at CN Centre when they take on the powerhouse Phantoms.
Fjellstrom and the majority of her Cougars teammates are 15-year-old rookies in the midget league this season, while the Phantoms boast a veteran lineup of mainly 16- and 17-year-olds.
"It feels good that we're competing with all these teams with older girls," said Fjellstrom.
The Grade 10 student at Kelly Road secondary has 10 points (six goals) in 12 games this season, sitting second in scoring behind the Phantoms Mackenzie Wong (14 points, 11 games). Fjellstrom said when she found out she had won player of the month honours, it was a bit of a shock.
"It's just kind of surprising because of how many people could've been chosen and I was chosen," said Fjellstrom.
After their morning clash with the Phantoms the Cougars play their second game today, 3:15 p.m., at Kin 3 against the Thompson-Okanagan Rockets (3-5-4), before facing the Kootenay Wildcats (4-6-2) on Saturday, 6:45 p.m., at Kin 3 and wrapping up the weekend Sunday, 7:30 a.m. against the Ravens on the Kin 2 ice surface.
Seven of the nine super weekend games will be played at Kin 2 and 3 with one at CN Centre and the final game, between the Phantoms and Rockets, at a neutral site in 100 Mile House on Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars next action will be Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 when they play in the annual Mac's Midget tournament in Calgary. It's the first time since 2005 a female team from Prince George will compete in the event. The tournament schedule and divisions will be announced Tuesday.
Super Weekend schedule for BCFMML
Friday
Kootenay Wildcats vs. Thompson-Okanagan Rockets, 9 a.m. at Kin 2 Prince George Cougars vs. Fraser Valley Phantoms, 10:15 a.m. at CN Centre Pacific Ravens vs. Kootenay Wildcats, 2:45 p.m. at Kin 2 Thompson-Okanagan Rockets vs. Prince George Cougars, 3:15 p.m. at Kin 3 Saturday Fraser Valley Phantoms vs. Kootenay Wildcats, 9 a.m. at Kin 2 Thompson-Okanagan Rockets vs. Pacific Ravens, 6:15 p.m. at Kin 3 Kootenay Wildcats vs. Prince George Cougars, 6:45 p.m. at Kin 3 Sunday Prince George Cougars vs. Pacific Ravens, 7:30 a.m. at Kin 2 Fraser Valley Phantoms vs. Thompson-Okanagan Rockets, 12:15 p.m. at 100 Mile House
