Monday Morning.

Good morning,

i thought i'd take some time this morning to post some of my personal thoughts that stem from opening weekend.

First off I want to say thanks to everybody who took the time to congratulate me and encourage me before, during and after Saturday's broadcast in Kamloops. It meant so much to me, and I am happy that I got to share that experience with many friends. family members and fans. I felt good about the call, and I look forward to at least 71 more this season.

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I want to also say thank you to the many families who came to Pine Center Mall yesterday to "Meet the Pack." The sun was shining, and a ton of fun was had by all. It was great to see so many kids playing ball-hockey with the Cougars, and it was evident that the Cougars players were greatly enjoying themselves as well. The Cats take a lot of pride in their community involvement, and yesterday's function was a great success. Great job Prince George!

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Big news this morning regarding the return of Martin Marincin to the Cougars from Edmonton. Marincin is going to provide a strong offensive presence on the back-end, especially on the powerplay. The defensive effort put forth by the Cougars Saturday in Kamloops was strong, and the addition of Marincin should only bolster the collective confidence of the Cougars players, coaches and fans.

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The Cougars played a greasy road-game on Saturday and were rewarded with two points. Head Coach Dean Clark mentioned afterwards that the Cougars are still a long way from being in 'mid-season form' but all victories are important no matter how they look, and a 1-0 record looks a lot better than 0-1.

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Drew Owsley was sensational on Saturday. It was a goaltending performance to be proud of, and I certainly hope my broadcast did it justice. He was square to the shooter, had strong rebound control, and did not give up on any pucks. Goaltending Coach Phil Guenter told me before camp that Owsley's greatest strength was the fact that he never gave up - It was very evident on Saturday. Here's an interview from yesterday with Owsley.

Drew Owsley Sunday by thevoicedo

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Defensively the Cougars blocked shots with reckless abandon Saturday and leading the charge was 20-year-old defenceman Cody Carlson. i counted at least five blocks from Carlson, and many of them looked painful. Carlson exemplified all of the qualities that a 20-year-old player in the WHL should possess, and was well deserving of a star-selection on my broadcast.

Here's an interview with Carlson, also from yesterday.

Cody Carlson by thevoicedo

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I want to quickly say thanks to Tim O'Donovan and Jon Keen in Kamloops for their help on Saturday. Its not always easy to find good help on the road, but those two stepped up and helped me get settled. Thanks fellas!

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Enjoy your Monday! You can expect plenty of blogging leading up to the home opener on September 30th against Victoria.