It’s only the preseason but for hockey goalie Dorrin Luding, a win’s a win.
Especially when it happens to be against his hometown Prince George Cougars and it ends in a shutout.
Luding stopped all 26 shots he faced Saturday afternoon in WHL exhibition at Langley Events Centre, backing the Everett Silvertips to a 1-0 win.
Connor Dewar scored the only goal, beating Cougars’ goalie Taylor Gauthier 17:50 into the third period.
Tavin Grant started in net for the Cougars and blocked 22 of 22 shots. Gauthier, a 16-year-old rookie, made 10 saves.
The Silvertips acquired Luding Dec. 5, 2016 in a trade from the Saskatoon Blades for a sixth-round bantam pick in 2010. The 18-year-old, who played two seasons with the Cariboo Cougars from 2014-16, spent most of last season in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League with the Valley West Hawks. He earned his first WHL win not long after joining the Silvertips, allowing just one goal against the Kamloops Blazers on Dec. 11.
Saturday’s game was his first WHL preseason action since Jan 1, when he was lit up for nine goals in a loss to the Tri City Americans.
The Cougars dressed eight veterans for Saturday’s game after icing a much younger lineup in Friday’s 7-3 loss to the Vancouver Giants in Langley. The Cats will play the Victoria Royals Sunday at noon in Langley.
They return to Prince George to prepare for the Kamloops Blazers, who will come to CN Centre on Friday to face the Cougars in the final preseason game for both teams.
The season starts Friday, Sept. 22 at CN Centre when the Cougars host the Spokane Chiefs.
