Players make golden return

No player likes missing a game.

But, even though Josh Connolly and Brett Harris arrived home too late to suit up for their Cariboo Cougars on Sunday, they had huge smiles on their faces.

And for good reason. In their grips, they had gold medals from the Canada Winter Games.

Friday in Halifax, Connolly and Harris helped Team B.C. beat Team Quebec 7-4 in the championship final of men's hockey.

"It was a great accomplishment and something I'll remember for the rest of my life," said Connolly, a 15-year-old defenceman and Prince George resident.

In the golden game, B.C. had a 4-2 lead at the start of the third period but quickly found itself in a 4-4 tie. Fortunately, B.C.'s Nic Petan answered back with his own marker and then Curtis Lazar struck twice, the final goal into an empty net.

"It was kind of nerve-wracking but when we scored that one goal I had a good feeling we were going to win," Connolly said. "It was a good game. We played hard and came out with the W."

Connolly, a draft pick of the Western Hockey League's Kamloops Blazers, had two assists in six tournament games.

"It was a good experience -- lots of great players," said Connolly, who has seven goals and 27 points in 28 Major Midget League outings with the Cougars. "Lots of people came out and watched us and our team got better as the tournament went on."

Harris, a 16-year-old from 100 Mile House, was a two-way forward for B.C. and one of the club's best face-off men.

Lazar, a Vernon product, set a goal-scoring and points record at the Games. His 12 goals broke a mark previously held by Steven Stamkos, and his 17 points topped Sidney Crosby's old standard.

Lazar's helmet will now reside at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. So, too, will Petan's stick and the pants shell worn by B.C.'s Jackson Houck.

Good start for Neumann

Cross-country skier Matt Neumann began his Canada Winter Games medal quest on Monday and had a strong finish in the 10-kilometre free race. Neumann, who learned his craft as a member of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, finished fifth overall in a time of 22 minutes 56.50 seconds. The top three places went to Kevin Sandau of Alberta (22:09.40), Michael Somppi of Ontario (22:11.30) and Alberta's Jesse Cockney (22:13.60). Graeme Killick, also from Alberta, was fourth in 22:20.90.

Neumann has a 1,000m sprint race today.