Happy days for hockey fans in Prince George.
The Prince George Cougars have continued their February hot streak into March, earning three of four points from the Victoria Royals in last weekend's home series, the Saturday game in front of more than 5,400 witnesses. They loved the spirit of the Cougars to come back from a 3-0 deficit to score the tying goal in the dying minutes of the third period remaining to force overtime. The rally was started with a goal from Tyler Mrkonjic late in the second period. That massive 50/50 jackpot Saturday night was to benefit a memorial fund in his mother Shelly's name to support ALS research. She died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) in 2006. His dad dropped the puck at the ceremonial faceoff to start the game.
The next day, the Cariboo Cougars beat the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds to wrap up their first-round three-game playoff series in the B.C. Major Midget League. The Cougars only lost eight times in their 40 games of league play this year and won a double-overtime thriller on New Year's Day to capture the illustrious Mac's midget tournament in Calgary. Anything less than qualifying for the Telus Cup, the national midget title, this year will be considered a disappointment for this group.
Meanwhile, over at the Coliseum on Tuesday, the Spruce Kings did something they haven't accomplished in the last 10 seasons in the B.C. Hockey League. They won their first-round playoff series, defeating the Langley Rivermen in a six-game slugfest.
The Kings no doubt enjoyed a well-deserved rest day Wednesday before practice today and then they're back on the bus for the opening games of their second-round playoff series Friday and Saturday in Chilliwack against the Chiefs. The Kings have been incredibly resilient this season after enduring a steady stream of injuries but got mostly healthy just at the right time.
It's not just the players with both the Spruce Kings and the Cougars but also the organizations that have shown their mettle this season. With the Spruce Kings, coach Dave Dupas kept his team focused during a tough December and a six-game losing streak while general manager Mike Hawes has patiently and persistently built a program that increasingly develops talented prospects worthy of NCAA scholarships. The Spruce Kings Show Home continues to be the major fundraiser for the community-owned franchise. There are still tickets left for the draw that's just seven days away and the team needs every ticket sold to help cover its operating expenses.
Meanwhile, new owners and staff at the Cougars have toiled tirelessly behind the scenes to get the community back on board. Kudos to Greg Pocock and the Cougars ownership group for putting in the first $25,000 into Saturday's 50/50 draw to encourage sales that led to the largest total jackpot, more than $67,000, in team history. Coach Mark Holick somehow managed to right the ship after a bleak 12-game losing streak over December and January. New general manager Todd Harkins is off to a decent start and has withstood the steady scrutiny of dubious fans who thought the team's new owners should have brought in a more experienced man at the helm. On the business side, the energy of Andy Beesley, Marnie Hamagami and the rest of the enthusiastic staff have transformed once-dreary game nights at CN Centre into boisterous, rocking evenings of fun and entertainment for the whole family.
Some said the Cougars couldn't turn it around but they've put serious doubt into the minds of the naysayers, just one year into their rebuilding efforts. Some said the Spruce Kings were doomed to eternal mediocrity since community-owned, not-for-profit teams can't buy their way to championships but smart management of both players and dollars can make a difference. Some said it would be a cold day in hell before a Prince George team would win the Mac's.
All three teams are putting inspirational, dedicated, hardworking skilled players on the ice and they deserve full support from Prince George sports fans. The Cariboo Cougars are back in action Friday against the South Island Royals. The Kings will be back at the Coliseum on Monday and Tuesday next week for Games 3 and 4 of their series against Chilliwack while the Cougars wrap up their regular season (and hopefully secure their own playoff berth) with their final two home games next Wednesday and Friday against their hated rival, the Kamloops Blazers.
See you at the rink.
