Preseason games do not count for points in the standings and that’s too bad for the Prince George Cougars.
They’ve won three of their four games in exhibition play.
Their latest victory, a 3-2 triumph Sunday afternoon in Langley, came at the expense of the previously undefeated Victoria Royals, who started with four straight wins.
“Of course we want to establish a winning culture, especially with the young group that we have, and I thought our compete level the last 48 hours was good,” said Cougars head coach Richard Matvichuk.
“We’ve learned that if we play a high pace with the energy and commitment we want to play at, we’re going to be competitive every night, regardless of what our age is. Our transition game and our defence and forwards have to stay tight together and when we play like that it’s going to give us a good chance to win.”
Ryan Schoettler and Kjell Kjemhus sparked the Cats’ offence, each with first-period goals, and Josh Maser found the net in the second period for his first of the preseason. Alex Bolshakov, early in the second period, and Ty Yoder, on a third-period power play, countered for Victoria.
The Cougars successfully killed seven of the eight Victoria power-play chances, including a 90-second 5-on-3 disadvantage with less than five minutes left in the third period.
Maser, 19, played on a line with Vladislav Mikhalchuk and Ethan Browne and was picked as the game’s first star Sunday. Although Maser was bypassed in the NHL draft in his first year of eligibility the six-foot-two, 207-pound native of Houston is intent on making hockey his livelihood and Matvichuk says he’s on the right track.
“I liked his energy – he’s a physical player and he’s like a bull in a china shop,” said Matvichuk. “He’s out there doing the right things and saying the right things and playing the right way and it’s really encouraging knowing he’s one of those guys we see playing a huge part in our organization and eventually being a guy who turns into a pro hockey player.
“Just because you don’t get drafted at 18 the chance is there to be drafted as a 19-year-old and he’s opening eyes.”
Isaiah DiLaura drew the start in goal for Prince George and made 27 saves as his team outshot the Royals 29-28. Royals goalie Dean McNabb allowed three goals on 16 shots and was replaced for the third period by Connor Martin, who stopped all 13 shots he faced.
The Cougars’ Tyson Phare, 16, the 18th overall pick in the 2017 WHL bantam draft, made the switch from forward to defence part way through training camp and has looked more comfortable lining up on the back end, the position he played throughout the majority of his minor hockey career. The offensive-minded Phare drew an assist on Kjemhus’s goal.
“He’s getting better every day and we feel the way he sees the ice and the opportunity he has to play that position, he’s been doing everything we asked,” said Matvichuk.
“We like him where he’s at right now. He’s a 16-year-old young man trying to crack the lineup and it’s a pleasant surprise to see him back there. He moves really well and we can have more offence that way. We want to attack as a four- or five-man unit, not just three forwards.”
The Cats skated to a 7-3 win Saturday night over the Vancouver Giants.
Max Kryski had a four-point game with two goals and two assists. Mikhalchuk, Tyson Upper, Josh Curtis, Ilijah Colina (shorthanded) and Cole Moberg fired singles. Yannick Valenti, James Malm and Tyler Ho were the Giants’ goalscorers. Taylor Gauthier stopped 28 of 31 shots in the Cougar nets. Brady Euerny and Drew Sim combined to make 33 saves for Vancouver.
The Cougars now sport a 3-1-0-0 record in preseason play, which began last weekend with a 5-0 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops, followed by a 4-2 victory in Kelowna.
The Cats still have 27 players on the roster and have a week of practice ahead of them as they prepare for their final preseason game Saturday at CN Centre against Kamloops. They open the franchise’s 25th season Sept. 21-22 in Victoria and play one more road game on Wednesday, Sept. 26 in Kelowna before they host the Rockets in a two-game set in Prince George, Sept. 28-29.
Two Cougars are skating this week in NHL rookie camps.
Winger Jackson Leppard is in Estero, Fla., playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the 19-year-old suited up for the Bolts in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators. Defenceman Joel Lakusta, 20, is with the St. Louis Blues at the rookie tournament in Traverse City, Mich., and was in the lineup Saturday for the Blues’ 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Leppard said it was fast but he played well and I spoke to Lakusta and he thought he played well too,” said Matvichuk. “Those are encouraging signs that they’re up there at the highest level possible and when they’re there they’re doing a lot of learning too, which is great.”
