The Cariboo Cougars were in danger of being torched by the last-place Thompson Blazers but managed to complete a weekend sweep.
On Sunday in McBride, the Cougars edged the Blazers 3-1 in the second game of a B.C. Hockey Major Midget League doubleheader. The Cats got the winning goal on a late third-period power play when 17-year-old defenceman Stephen Penner hammered a slapshot past goaltender Kyle Michalovsky. Before the final buzzer sounded, Cariboo captain Ryan Forbes added an empty-net insurance marker.
Braydon McCarthy, also on a power play, opened the scoring for the Blazers in the first period. Kirk Hards of the Cougars notched the tying goal in the second.
Jeremy Matte was the winning goaltender. The 16-year-old Matte now has five victories to his credit this season.
On Saturday night, the Cats had a much easier time with the Blazers in a 6-0 win. Goal scorers were Riley Pettitt, Liam Blackburn, Forbes, Michael Bell, Bryan Allbee and Eli Jarvis. Allbee is a 15-year-old defenceman and his goal was the first of his MML career.
Nathan Warren was the winning goaltender and Michalovsky took the loss. The game was played in a packed Robson Valley Recreation Centre and saw the host Cats outshoot the Blazers 63-17.
The Cougars improved to 13-3 and the Blazers dropped to 1-13. In the 11-team league, the Cats hold down second place, behind the Vancouver Northwest Giants (13-0-1) and ahead of the Okanagan Rockets (10-2-2). Both the Giants and Rockets have two games in hand on the Cougars.
The Cariboo club has a bye weekend coming up. The next games for the Cats are Nov. 24-25 in Victoria against the South Island Royals, who are currently seventh with a 4-7-5 record.
