B.C. Hockey League teams loaded up on members of the Cariboo Cougars on Tuesday.
Six guys in Cariboo colours - forwards Grady Thomas, Brett Fudger, Lane Goodwin and Brendan Pigeon, defenceman Matthew Marotta and goaltender Devin Chapman - became linked with BCHL clubs when they were added as affiliated players.
Thomas, Fudger and Goodwin are all now affiliated with the West Kelowna Warriors. Pigeon, meanwhile, is now an AP with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, while Marotta and Chapman are part of the Chilliwack Chiefs and Cowichan Valley Capitals organizations respectively.
The Cougars compete in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League and sit in third place with a 16-5-3-0 record.
The Cats will put that mark on the line this weekend in Fort St. James, where they will take on the second-place Vancouver Northeast Chiefs (16-5-2-2) in a pair of games. Saturday's opener will be held inside the Fort Forum, with puck-drop slated for 5 p.m. Then, on Sunday, the teams will move outdoors to the Ernie Sam Memorial Arena, located on Nak'azdli Whut'en territory in Fort St. James. The game has been dubbed the Winter Classic and will mark the first time a BCHMML contest has been played on outdoor ice. Opening faceoff is at 2 p.m.
