When it comes to producing return on investment, Todd Fiddler has provided plenty of payback for the Prince George Cougars.
Traded by the Moose Jaw Warriors to the Cougars back in early November for a conditional fifth-round draft pick, the Cougars had hoped Fiddler would supply the offence that made him a 42-goal scorer last season with Spokane as well as the leadership qualities of a 20-year-old. So far, Fiddler has delivered on both accounts.
He made that point perfectly clear to the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night in Kamloops, scoring two power-play goals in the first period to get his team back within striking distance in what turned out a 4-3 shootout victory over their Western Hockey League League rivals.
"He's been like found money," said Cougars head coach Mark Holick, when asked about Fiddler, who has 22 goals and 43 points in 26 games this season with the Cougars.
"He's an older guy who knows the game and he's very smart. He plays the angles real well, his stick position is very good and he finds the right areas to get to. He's real creative that way."
It was a difficult start for the Cougars and goaltender Adam Beukeboom, who allowed two goals on the first two shots he faced Saturday. Beukeboom, acquired Thursday in a trade from the Vancouver Giants, had been playing for Drumheller in the AJHL and was making his first WHL start since 2012. Goals by Matt Revel and Tyson Ness had the Blazers celebrating a 2-0 lead only 2:45 into the game.
Fiddler got one of those back a few minutes later, the 100th goal of his WHL career, but Jesse Shynkaruk restored the two-goal lead on a Kamloops power play at 13:35. Just before the first intermission, Fiddler took a pass from Tate Olson and snapped in his team-leading 24th goal and 53rd point to make it a 3-2 game. Brad Morrison tied it early in the third period, teaming up with Klarc Wilson and Jansen Harkins.
"After the first two shots went in, it was important that we got the next one and got out of the period down one," said Holick. "We were still down one after two but we were playing very well and we didn't spend a lot of time in our zone."
The Cougars started with just 16 skaters and two goalies dressed and then lost the services of defenceman Marc McNulty, who got sick during the game and played sparingly, showing the same flu symptoms that kept former Blazer winger Aaron Macklin out of the lineup. Forward Brett Roulston saw limited action in both games in his return after missing nearly two months with a broken foot.
"We had only three lines and 4 1/2 [defencemen] -- we're a banged-up group with a lot of bodies out so we were running on fumes and a lot of guys saw a lot of ice this weekend," said Holick, whose team started the weekend with a 6-5 loss Friday in Vancouver.
Overtime decided nothing and Shynkaruk began the shootout by scoring on Beukeboom. Zach Pochiro and Fiddler missed on their shootout attempts, as did Kamloops shooters Revel and Matt Bellerive. Needing to score to extend it one more round, Cougars captain Troy Bourke blasted a hot shot over the glove of Bolton Pouliot. After Cole Ully missed for the Blazers, Jordan Tkatch ended it with another high shot.
The win was critical for the Cougars (17-23-2-4), who stayed four points back of the eighth-place Tri-City Americans, who beat Everett 3-2 in overtime Saturday. Kamloops (10-29-2-3) is last in the West.
n Guy Charron, who coached the Blazers for 3-1/2 seasons was named interim head coach of the team and was behind the bench Saturday after head coach Dave Hunchak was granted a sudden leave of absence.
n Cats goalie Ty Edmonds is one of two goalies picked for Team Cherry in Wednesday's BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Calgary. In its 18-year history, 248 players who played in the Prospects Game went on to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft. The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet starting at 6 p.m. PST.
