Cougar Town

Silvertips Edge Cougars 4-3.

2012-01-28T22:51:00.001-08:00

Saturday night in Prince George, the Cougars dropped a 4-3 score to the Everett Silvertips. Joshua Winquist scored twice in the second period to ultimately seal the deal. Spencer Asuchak, Greg Fraser and Daulton Siwak responded for the Cougars who had two late power plays, but were unable to tie the score.

Everett earned a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game. Austin Adam opened the scoring 1:49 in on a point-shot that found it’s way through the crowd. For a second straight game, Everett had scored on their first shot on goal.

Josh Birkolz added to the lead at 5:37 on a power play. Birkholz skated into the left circle and let a low shot go that found it’s way into the back of the net. For Birkholz it was his second of the weekend and 23rd of the season.

The Cougars made it 2-1 late in the period when Greg Fraser stole the puck from the Silvertips defense and wired a shot past Kent Simpson for his 12th of the season. The goal was scored unassisted.

Early in the second period, Everett regained their two goal cushion when Joshua Winquist put home a Ryan Harrison pass. Earlier in the sequence, Drew Owsley made a sensational save off of Harrison on a breakaway, but Harrison grabbed his own rebound, centered the puck and Winquist made no mistake.

Winquist would score another one 2:04 later off a centering pass from behind the Cougars goal.

Spencer Asuchak would respond for the Cougars late in the period on a power play. Asuchak received a pass in front of Kent Simpson, and deked around him for his 13th of the season, and his sixth of the season against the Everett Silvertips. A nice reward for Asuchak who was celebrating his 200th game of his career.

Early in the third period the Cougars moved within one when Daulton Siwak freed the puck along the wall and blasted a wrist-shot past Simpson for his eighth of the season.

Two late power plays provided the Cougars with some chances, but the Silvertips were able to block a lot of shots and hold the Cougars to three goals.

With the victory, Everett’s record improves to 12-30-1-8 and they moved one point ahead of the Cougars (15-31-0-2) in the Western Conference standings.

Both teams finished one-for-four on the man advantage. Everett outshot Prince George 28-19.

Next up: The Victoria Royals on Tuesday and Wednesday. It marks the first time that the Cougars will face Victoria since October 1st, 2011 and the first time the Cougars have played a game in Victoria since the franchise was moved to Prince George (from Victoria) in 1994.

Cougars - Silvertips Part Two.

2012-01-28T13:09:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Everett Silvertips will meet for the fourth and final time tonight at CN Centre. Last night Everett skated to a 5-2 victory, and are now one point behind Prince George in the Western Conference standings. The Cougars are hoping to snap a four-game losing skid and hope to even up their season series with Everett in the process.

Overview:

Mark Ferner’s Everett Silvertips come into tonight’s game with a record of 11-30-1-8 through 50 games this season. The Silvertips are 4-5-0-1 in their last 10 games and are one point back of Prince George for ninth in the Western Conference.

Who’s Up Front:

Leading the way offensively for Everett is 20-year-old forward Josh Birkolz. Birkholz has scored 22 goals and has 42 points to lead all Silvertips in scoring. Birkolz had the game winner last night for the Silvertips after he zig-zagged his way through the defense and roofed one for the third Everett goal of the night.

Who’s on D:

Import defenceman Dominik Bittner was the hero for Everett in last night’s game scoring twice (the first two goals). The two goals from Bittner were his first two ever in the Western Hockey League. Bittner also played well in his own zone, and made few (if any) mistakes against the Cougars. The Cougars will hope to silence Bittner and the rest of the Silvertips d-core tonight.

Who’s in Goal:

The Everett Silvertips got a strong outing from 19-year-old Kent Simpson. Simpson faced 36 shots and made 34 saves for the victory. Simpson was tested often in the third period and stood tall for his team when the score was 4-2. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick is now 1-1-0-0 this season in two starts against Prince George.

X-Factor:

It was the first time that the Prince George Cougars have faced Everett with a healthy Ryan Murray, and the future first-rounder did not disappoint last night. He moved the puck extremely well and was a calming influence on the back-end for his team. The Cougars did a good job keeping Murray in check offensively, and they’ll need to do so again tonight to be successful.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s team did not get much help last night from either Kamloops or Kelowna, so tonight they’ll need to help themselves. The Cougars have lost four games in a row, and are only 2-8-0-0 in their last 10 games. The young Cougars are battling a ton of injuries at the moment, and it’s important for them to not get too down about their current situation. The Cougars are a minor winning streak away from getting right back into the thick of things in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Who’s Up Front:

20-year-old forward Spencer Asuchak was terrific for the Cougars in last night’s game. Asuchak scored both Cougars goals, and now has five goals this season against Everett. Asuchak now leads the Cougars outright with 12 goals on the season. Tonight will be a big night for Asuchak as it is his 200th career game in the WHL. Another strong night from Asuchak and his linemates will go a long way for the Cougars.

Who’ on D:

Defensively the Cougars will need to greatly rely on their veterans in tonight’s game. With Dan Gibb’s status up in the air for the foreseeable future, even more ice-time will likely be given to Cody Carlson, Jesse Forsberg and Ricard Blidstrand. The Cougars will need the likes of Michael Mylchreest, Linden Springer and Marc McNulty to play big minutes as well. The Cougars will need all of their defenceman one-through-six to be responsible and disciplined tonight.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley stopped 32 of 36 shots in last night’s game and was strong when called upon, but tonight maybe more than ever, the Cougars are going to need their goaltender (be it Owsley or Devon Fordyce) to help steal a victory.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars played a strong first 10 minutes, and an excellent final 20 in last night’s game. But the big X-Factor tonight is to put it all together for a full 60 minutes. The Cougars could greatly help their playoff cause and their confidence cause with a victory tonight against Everett before an important road-swing to Victoria on Tuesday and Wednesday. Consistency is the ultimate key for tonight’s game.

Silvertips 5 - Cougars 2

2012-01-27T22:38:00.001-08:00

Friday night in Prince George, the Prince George Cougars dropped a 5-2 score to the Everett Silvertips. Dominik Bittner scored twice for Everett in the first period, and the visitors scored four times in the first 40 minutes to earn their 11th win of the season. Spencer Asuchak had both goals in response for Prince George.

The Cougars opened the scoring early in the first period while short-handed. Spencer Asuchak out-skated the Silvertips defender, and managed to stuff the puck past Kent Simpson while he was hauled down to put the Cougars on the board. It was Asuchak’s 11th of the season and fourth of the year against Everett.

The Silvertips evened the score a few moments later when Dominik Bittner let a point-shot go that deflected off the Cougars defence and in past Drew Owsley. For Bittner it was his first goal in the Western Hockey League.

Late in the period, Bittner struck again off a Cougars turnover. Bittner walked into the slot and flipped once into the net for his second of the period.

The Cougars lost the services of defenceman Dan Gibb who was injured in the late stages of the first period. Gibb left with about three minutes remaining in the period and did not return.

The second period belonged to Everett. The Silvertips outshot Prince George 15-10, and were rewarded offensively when Josh Birkholz weaved his way into the front of the goal and beat Drew Owsley up high for his 21st of the season.

Late in the period the Silvertips added to their lead when Ryan Chynoweth put home his first ever goal in the WHL. Chynoweth had the final whack at a puck that was bouncing around in the goal-mouth area.

The Cougars really turned it on in the third though, and moved within two goals when Spencer Asuchak scored off a face-off in Everett territory. For Asuchak it was his 12th of the season, which gives him the team lead in goals outright.

The Cougars then continued to press, but Everett netminder Kent Simpson kept the door shut the rest of the way.

Kohl Bauml added an empty-netter for Everett who secured their 11th win of the season, and are now one point back of the Cougars in the Western Conference standings. That said: The Silvertips have played in three more games.

Prince George and Everett both finished the game zero-for-three on the power play. Everett outshot Prince George 37-36.

The Cougars (15-30-0-2) will head into Saturday’s rematch with Everett (11-30-1-8) trailing Victoria by five points in the Western Conference standings. Victoria secured a 4-2 victory against Kamloops while Seattle defeated Kelowna in a shootout to move six ahead of the Cougars in the playoff race.

The Cougars and Silvertips meet for the final time on Saturday night from CN Centre.

Cougars - Silvertips Preview.

2012-01-27T08:38:00.001-08:00

Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars will host the Everett Silvertips for the first and only weekend this season. So far the Cougars are 1-1-0-0 against Everett having posted a 4-1 victory against them on November 11th, 2011. The Cougars lost the next night 3-2. These teams have only three points separating themselves in the standings, and make no mistake about it: This weekend has major playoff implications.

Overview:

Mark Ferner’s Everett Silvertips are coming into this weekend with a record of 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games. The ‘Tips have lost two straight and are currently ranked 10th in the WHL’s Western Conference. Their record sits at 10-30-1-8 this season.

Who’s Up Front:

Leading the way offensively for Everett is 20-year-old forward Josh Birkolz. Birkholz has scored 21 goals and has 41 points to lead all Silvertips in scoring.

Who’s on D:

When the Cougars and Silvertips last played each other in mid-November, the Silvertips did not have Ryan Murray in their lineup. The 17-year-old missed a solid chunk of time earlier this season with injury, and is almost assuredly going to be a top 10 pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. So far this season Murray has tallied 19 points in 23 games with Everett.

Who’s in Goal:

The Everett Silvertips are led in goal by 19-year-old Kent Simpson. Simpson is 8-24-1-5 on the year and has a save percentage of .900 this season through 40 games. Simpson’s backup netminder is 16-year-old Austin Lotz. Lotz is 2-6-0-2 this season and earned his first ever WHL victory against Prince George back on November 12, 2011.

X-Factor:

Though the Silvertips have struggled record-wise this season their power play comes into this weekend ranked 10th in the Western Hockey League. They can thank 17-year-old forward Kohl Bauml for some of that success. Bauml has scored seven power play goals this season and is enjoying a fine rookie campaign in the Western Hockey League. The Cougars will need to stay disciplined and not let the Silvertips power play beat them. Silencing Bauml will be a big step in the right direction.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s team comes into this weekend ranked ninth in the Western Conference and they sit three points back of the Victoria Royals for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Cougars have lost three straight and are 2-8-0-0 in their last 10 games. The Cougars are 3-2-0-0 in their last five games at home.

Who’s Up Front:

Heading into the weekend the Prince George Cougars are a little bit banged up. That being said they still have many capable forwards that can put up some numbers offensively. 20-year-old forward Spencer Asuchak has scored three goals against Everett already this season, and no doubt would like to continue that type of production this weekend.

Who’ on D:

Defensively the Cougars will have to be ready to go against a plucky Everett team that is not going to make anything easy on them. Cody Carlson scored the team’s lone goal last Saturday against Red Deer and leads the Cougars with 30 points from the back-end. Carlson is second in team scoring behind only Troy Bourke.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley got the night off Saturday in Red Deer and should be ready to go for one or both games this weekend. Owsley gives the Cougars a chance to win each time he takes the ice, and you know that he’ll be ready to give it his all this weekend against the Silvertips.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars did not lead for a single second of their three-game Alberta road-swing last week. The Cougars will no doubt feel a lot better about themselves and their chances if they can give themselves an early lead against Everett. When the Cougars lead after two periods of play they are 10-1-0-0 this season.

Spencer Asuchak Audio.

2012-01-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

Spencer Asuchak Interview by thevoicedo

Asuchak Approaches 200th Game.

2012-01-25T08:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend the ninth placed Prince George Cougars host the 10th placed Everett Silvertips on both Friday and Saturday at CN Centre. For Cougars 20-year-old forward Spencer Asuchak, this weekend could be especially memorable.

The 20-year-old product of Kamloops, B.C. is set to play in his 200th career game in the Western Hockey League on Saturday night. Through 198 career games, Spencer Asuchak has recorded 41 goals and 41 assists for 82 points along with 188 penalty minutes.

“It’s exciting. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to be in this league for that long,” said Asuchak. “Four years went by fast. It feels good.”

Asuchak says that versatility has been a big key to his success. “I’d like to think of myself as an all-around player. It’s something I pride myself on,” said Asuchak.

Asuchak is hoping for a big weekend to help celebrate the big milestone. So far this season Asuchak has scored three of his 10 goals against Everett.

Vote Dan Gibb for Breakfast Idol.

2012-01-24T11:28:00.001-08:00

Tuesday morning Cougars defenceman Dan Gibb was a guest on 101.3 The River's morning show with Mike and Ashley. Gibb joined the show as a contestant for the River's 'Breakfast Idol' promotion.

It turns out that Dan Gibb and host Mike were wearing the same sweater!

Gibb started the morning by defeating co-host Ashley in a game of Birthday Trivia.

He then participated in a stirring round of 20 questions and solved a rubix cube during the talent portion of the event.

All Cougars fans should help Dan Gibb become Prince George's 'Breakfast Idol.'

You can vote for Dan Here.

Rebels 5 - Cougars 1

2012-01-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars wrapped up their Alberta road-swing with a 5-1 loss to the Red Deer Rebels. Turner Elson had two goals and two assists for Red Deer while Cody Carlson had the lone tally for Prince George.

For a third straight game, the Cougars had a strong first period but were not properly rewarded. They outshot the Rebels 12-8 but it was Red Deer who clicked first while short-handed.

Matthew Dumba stole the puck at the blueline and raced in two-on-zero with Turner Elson. Elson and Dumba connected on the give-and-go and Dumba buried the puck past Devon Fordyce to give Red Deer the 1-0 lead.

Late in the second period, Red Deer added to their lead on a power play. Matt Dumba raced the puck up ice and then fed Elson in the slot area. Elson flipped a puck past Devon Fordyce to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. The goal came after an iffy charging call assessed to Cougars defenceman Dan Gibb.

Early in the third, Red Deer struck again on the power play. This time it was Adam Kambeitz who received a pass in front of Devon Fordyce, and lifted a backhand under the blocker for a 3-0 Red Deer cushion.

Cody Carlson moved the Cougars within two when a long shot from the right point found it’s way through Deven Dubyk. For Carlson it was his seventh of the season and his 30th point altogether in 2011-2012.

The Rebels would add two more at the mid-way point of the hockey game (Chad Robinson and Turner Elson) and the Rebels held on for their 20th victory of the season.

Dean Clark's team was without the services of Greg Fraser and John Odgers due to injury, and also did not have Campbell Elynuik because of suspension. They became even more short-handed when both Alex Forsberg and Reid Jackson left the game with injuries.

The Cougars finished the game zero-for-four on the power play while Red Deer went two-for-two. The final shots on goal had Red Deer with 35 and Prince George with 33.

The Cougars now return home still just three points behind Victoria for the final playoff spot in the West. Next up: The Everett Silvertips on Friday and Saturday from CN Centre.

Cougars - Rebels Preview.

2012-01-21T11:54:00.001-08:00

Tonight in Red Deer the Prince George Cougars wrap up their three-game road swing against The Red Deer Rebels. This marks the first of two meetings between these clubs this season. The Cougars and Rebels will meet again in Prince George on February 15th.

Overview:

Heading into tonight’s game, the Red Deer Rebels are on the outside looking into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They Rebels are 19-20-1-4 and are six points back of the Brandon Wheat Kings for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Rebels have lost two straight and are 4-4-1-1 in their last 10 games.

Who’s Up Front:

19-year-old Swede john Persson leads the way offensively for the Rebels with 15 goals and 39 points this season. Persson is 6’2, and weighs 211 pounds and will be a tough body to move for the Cougars defense.

Who’s on D:

Leading the way this season on the back-end is 19-year-old defenceman Alex Petrovic. Petrovic comes into tonight’s game with 30 points in 40 games. He’s a +2 with 73 penalty minutes and is an excellent puck-moving defenceman for Red Deer. It also helps that he’s 6-4, 205.

Who’s in Goal:

Since joining the Red Deer Rebels, 20-year-old goaltender Deven Dubyk is 5-5-1-1 with a 3.03 Goals Against and a save percentage of just over .90. Dubyk is backed up by 17-year-old netminder Bolton Pouliot. Pouliot is 0-4-0-2 and is still looking for his first victory in the WHL.

X-Factor:

Since joining the Red Deer Rebels on December 29th, Charles Inglis has recorded one goal and three assists in his first eight games. Cougars fans are well aware of Inglis’ skill-set, and you know that he’ll want to bring his best against his former team.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are 0-2 so far on their currently three-game road trip and will wrap up their road trip tonight against Red Deer. The Cougars are winless in their last five road games. They head into tonight’s game trailing both Victoria and Seattle by three points in the Western Conference.

Who’s Up Front:

Though the 2011-2012 season has been filled with ups and downs for this young Cougars squad, one can’t ignore the fact that with each passing game, the younger kids are getting more experienced and are getting better. Take Jordan Tkatch for example. The 16-year-old scored his 11th of the season last night against Calgary and is now in a three-way tie for the team lead in goals.

Who’s on D:

If the Cougars want to snap their road skid tonight, they are going to need all hands on deck defensively. Cody Carlson and Dan Gibb have proven this season that they can be as good as any other defense tandem in the Western Hockey League. Jesse Forsberg and Reid Jackson have obvious chemistry together, and Ricard Blidstrand has fit in seamlessly with the Cougars since arriving from Regina. Add the fact that Michael Mylchreest continues to gain valuable experience at this level. All six Cougars defensemen will need to be ready to battle hard tonight.

Who’s in Goal:

Don’t let the five goals fool you. Drew Owsley was solid last night and continues to battle hard for his teammates. That being said, it appears as though Devon Fordyce may be getting the nod tonight in Red Deer. Fordyce is 1-4-0-1 this season, and if he does indeed get the start, it will be his first start against a team in the Central Division this year.

X-Factor:

Tonight’s game also marks the return of Daulton Siwak to Red Deer. The Cougars acquired Siwak in a trade on December 29th that sent Charles Inglis to Red Deer. Siwak has scored twice for the Cougars since his arrival, and appears to have fit right in alongside Alex Forsberg and Troy Bourke. You know that Siwak will want to put up some points against the Rebels, and you know that his linemates will want to get in on the action as well.

Calgary 5 - Prince George 1

2012-01-21T00:32:00.001-08:00

Friday night in Calgary the Prince George Cougars dropped a 5-1 score to the Calgary Hitmen. Victor Rask led the way with two goals for Calgary while Jordan Tkatch had the lone tally for Prince George.

Joe Kornelson opened the scoring for Calgary at 13:22 of the first period. Drew Owsley stopped Spencer Humphries’ initial shot and then stopped the rebound attenpt by Calder Brooks. However the second rebound went right to the stick of Kornelson who buried his seventh of the year past a sprawling Drew Owsley.

63 seconds later Victor Rask made it 2-0 when he took the puck from the side of the net and walked out in front and banged home his own rebound. The shots on goal after one period were 15-5 for Calgary.

Early in the second period the Prince George Cougars got back within one. Jarrett Fontaine made a great play at his own blueline to steal the puck from the defender, and he fed Jordan Tkatch on a two-on-one. Tkatch did the rest firing a shot on Chris Driedger and then converted on his own rebound for his 11th goal of the season.

That goal vaults Jordan Tkatch into a three-way tie with Alex Forsberg and Greg Fraser for the team lead in goals.

The Hitmen took momentum back on the power play. Moments after Drew Owsley made a tremendous back-door stop off of Jimmy Bubnick, the Hitmen were able to convert when Alex Gogolev received a pass in front of the net and simply out-waited Drew Owsley for his 19th of the season.

Victor Rask would add another power play marker towards the end of the second to give Calgary a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Calder Brooks wrapped up the game’s scoring in the third period which turned nasty after Calgary defenceman Alex Roach was kicked out of the game for a checking-to-the-head penalty on Greg Fraser.

Cody Carlson, Jesse Forsberg and Campbell Elynuik were both kicked out of the game in the third period for fighting.

The Cougars finished the game zero-for-seven on the power play while Calgary went two-for-seven on their opportunities.

The final shots on goal were 44-19 for Calgary.

The Cougars will wrap up their three-game Alberta road-trip tomorrow night in Red Deer. Saturday’s battle with the Rebels marks the first meeting of the season between the clubs, and the first time that Daulton Siwak gets to face off against his former team.

Cougars - Hitmen Preview.

2012-01-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Calgary Hitmen meet for the second and final time this season tonight at the Saddledome in Calgary. Tonight’s game marks the second game of a three-game Alberta road-swing for the Cougars.

Overview:

The last time these teams met was December 28th in Prince George. The Cougars defeated Calgary 3-1. Since that game, the Hitmen went on to win eight consecutive games before falling Wednesday to Medicine Hat. The Hitmen are rolling, and enter tonight’s game with a record of 25-17-1-2 and currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference.

Who’s Up Front:

Leading the way offensively for Calgary is 19-year-old forward Cody Sylvester. Sylvester has 51 points through 42 games. Sylvester has 17 goals this season, and had the lone tally for Calgary against Prince George on December 28th.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Calgary Hitmen have received great contributions from 20-year-old Collin Bowman. Bowman has 28 points through 41 games and is a +8 for Mike Williamson’s hockey club.

Who’s in Goal:

The Calgary Hitmen boast two very capable goaltenders in Chris Driedger and Brandon Glover. Glover played against the Cougars on December 28th and took the loss. Driedger is 11-7-2-1 while Glover is 14-9.

X-Factor:

20-year-old forward Jimmy Bubnick leads all Calgary players with 20 goals on the season. Bubnick has scored seven of his 20 on the power play, and has been a consistent threat all season having posted 43 points in 45 games. He’s the only member of the Hitmen to dress in all 45 games so far this season. The Cougars will need to keep Bubnick in check if they want to secure two points.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game having won three of their last 10 games. The Cougars are 15-27-0-2 and are still (barely) on the outside looking into the playoff picture in the Western Conference. The Cougars did earn a 3-1 victory against Calgary back on December 28th at home.

Who’s Up Front:

Troy Bourke, Alex Forsberg and Daulton Siwak were silenced in last night’s game with Edmonton and are too talented a group to be silenced for long. Both Siwak and Forsberg weren’t there on December 28th when the Cougars beat Calgary. Forsberg was at U-17’s while Daulton Siwak was still a member of the Red Deer Rebels. Troy Bourke opened the scoring against Calgary on December 28th, but hasn’t scored since.

Who’s on D:

Cougars captain Jesse Forsberg now leads the Cougars in plus-minus with a +3 rating on the season. The elder Forsberg is playing some of his best hockey right now, and I’d expect nothing different from Forsberg tonight in Calgary.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley stopped 50 pucks against Edmonton on Wednesday, and continues to be very busy between the pipes. With two games in two nights coming up for the Cougars, it would seem likely that both Drew Owsley and Devon Fordyce will get a start, but nothing is etched in stone. If whoever starts in goal tomorrow night plays extremely well, then they could start again on Saturday.

X-Factor:

Shots. Shots. Shots. After being silenced Wednesday in Edmonton, the onus will be on ALL of the Cougars forwards to bring their best effort. The Cougars have been outshot in 12 consecutive games, and they will need to put more pucks on goal. Keep in mind that the Cougars are coming off a weekend where they scored 10 goals in two games, so you know that the capability is there.

Alberta Road Trip - Day 3

2012-01-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

The good thing about hockey is that quite often after a tough loss there is a fast turn-around.

The Prince George Cougars were back at practice today in Red Deer and started their preparation for the Calgary Hitmen tomorrow night. Last night’s 5-0 loss is Edmonton is already behind then, and the Cougars are set to move forward.

The Cougars will be facing a red hot Calgary Hitmen squad that has lost only once since these teams last faced off against each other. The Cougars were 3-1 winners against Calgary back on December 28th at CN Centre. It was that night that both John Odgers and Austin Daae recorded their first goals in the Western Hockey League.

Tomorrow night’s game in Calgary will be particularly special for Cougars backup goaltender Devon Fordyce. Fordyce grew up in Cochrane, AB which is not too far from Calgary.

“I’ve been to a few games. A few Hitmen games and a few Flames games. It will be different having people come and watch us,” said Fordyce this afternoon after practice.

The next victory for the Cougars will be the 500th for the franchise since they moved to Prince George in 1994, and the 10 Alberta products on the Prince George Cougars are hoping that they can celebrate that milestone this weekend.

Cougars Kick Off Road Trip With Loss in Edmonton.

2012-01-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night in Edmonton, the Prince George Cougars fell 5-0 to the Edmonton Oil Kings. Michael St. Croix scored a natural hat trick and Laurent Brossroit stopped all 26 shots he faced in goal.

The Cougars played a strong first 20 minutes but were not properly rewarded for their efforts. They outshot the Edmonton Oil Kings 16-8, and out-chanced them to a large degree. Greg Fraser was given a penalty shot at 10:28 of the first, but was unable to bury a backhand past Brossoit.

Shortly after Fraser’s penalty shot, Edmonton made it 1-0 when Tyler Maxwell fired a hard shot from the right-wing that snuck underneath the bar. Michael St. Croix added to their lead off a cross-ice pass from the left-wing corner.

Early in the second period the Cougars had a few other opportunities, but Chase Witala fired wide, and Alex Forsberg hit a post and the game remained 2-0.

Michael St. Croix made it 3-0 when he banged home a Jordan Peddle rebound. St. Croix completed his hat trick on a power play at 11:59 when he grabed a Martin Gernat rebound off the back boards and flipped one past Drew Owsley.

The Oil Kings outshot the Cougars 24-2 in the second period.

Cody Corbett scored the game’s last goal on a power play at 8:40 of the third period.

The Cougars finished the game zero-for-six on the power play while Edmonton went two-for-three. The final shots on goal were 55-26 in favor of Edmonton.

The Cougars record now sits at 15-27-0-2 and are still just one point back of eighth place in the Western Conference with two games in hand on the Victoria Royals.

The Cougars are now off to Red Deer where they’ll set up shop for the next few days. The Cougars play Calgary on Friday night before they wrap up their road-trip Saturday in Red Deer against the Rebels.

Cougars - Oil Kings Preview.

2012-01-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

Tonight in Edmonton the Prince George Cougars kick off their three-game Alberta road-trip against the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Overview:

The Edmonton Oil Kings are 6-2-0-2 in their last 10 games and they lead the Moose Jaw Warriors by six points for the Eastern Conference lead. Only the Portland Winterhawks (189) have scored more goals than the Edmonton Oil Kings (188).

Who’s Up Front:

Leading the way offensively for Edmonton is 18-year-old New York Rangers prospect Michael St. Croix. St. Croix has registered 67 points through 45 games this season and leads the Oil Kings with 25 goals – 10 of which have been scored on the power play.

Who’s on D:

The Edmonton Oil Kings boast a ton of depth on the back-end. This season they are led by Edmonton Oilers draft-pick Martin Gernat. Through 33 ganes, Gernat has recorded 26 points and is a +22 on the season. Add the likes of Griffin Reinhart, Keegan Lowe, Mark Pysyk and Cody Corbett, and you’ve got a blueline that has incredible depth.

Who’s in Goal:

The Oil Kings have received great goaltending this season from 18-year-old Laurent Brossoit. Brossoit is 25-9-1-3 on the year with one shut out. His goals against average is 2.47 and his save percentage is .913. His backup is 16-year-old Tristan Jarry who is 4-2 on the season. Jarry played in the last game for Edmonton during the weekend against Calgary.

X-Factor:

The Edmonton Oil Kings have the league’s second best power play (27.1 percent) and also the league’s second best penalty-kill (83.3 percent). Keeping Edmonton five-on-five or down a man will be very important for the Cougars tonight.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s Cougars have won two in a row, and head into tonight’s game with a record of 15-26-0-1. The Cats outscored Lethbridge 10-5 this past weekend and are once again knocking on the door of the top eight of the Western Conference. They trail Victoria by one point, and hold two games in hand. The next victory for Prince George will mark number 500 for the franchise.

Who’s Up Front:

No Cougars forward is hotter than Troy Bourke. The 17-year-old from Onoway, Alberta had five assists in two games against Lethbridge, and will no doubt be ready to provide a similar impact this week in his home province. Troy Bourke has become the straw that stirs the drink offensively for the Cougars, and they’ll need him to lead the charge tonight in Edmonton.

Who’s on D:

Cougars captain Jesse Forsberg is playing some of his best hockey of the season. Forsberg has scored goals in two straight games, and has been giving the opposition fits on the power play. Forsberg has used his size to create problems in front of the opposition’s goal, and I’d look for Forsberg to do more of the same tonight, while playing a responsible, efficient game defensively.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley won both games for the Cougars this past weekend against Lethbridge, and continues to provide the Cougars with a chance to win every night. Coming into tonight’s game, Drew Owsley has a record of 14-22-0-1. Devon Fordyce is his backup and holds a record of 1-4-0-1. Whoever gets the call tonight can expect a lot of shots and activity.

X-Factor:

The key tonight for the Prince George Cougars is to keep their offensive momentum going. They’ve scored 10 goals in their last two games, and had all lines clicking last weekend. Lots of shots, lots of net-traffic and a strong work ethic will all be necessary tonight if the Cougars want to win in Edmonton. I’m willing to bet that they are up for the challenge tonight.

Cougars Sign Ty Edmonds.

2012-01-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are pleased to announce that they have signed goaltender Ty Edmonds (Winnipeg, MB) to a standard Western Hockey League contract.

The Cougars drafted Edmonds in the ninth round of the 2011 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

“I’m looking forward to coming to camp and trying to make the team next season,” said Edmonds. “It would be a dream come true to play for the Prince George Cougars.”

So far this season Edmonds has performed very well in the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League. Edmonds has a record of 15-1-0-0 with two shutouts. His goals-against-average is currently 1.87 and his save percentage sits at .908.

Edmonds represented Manitoba at the U-16 Challenge Cup in Moose Jaw back in October, and helped Manitoba earn a silver medal at the tournament.

“We think Ty has a great attitude and a great work ethic,” said Prince George Cougars Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel Wade Klippenstein. “We feel that he can be the type of player that we’ll need in order to be a championship team.”

Alberta Road Trip - Day 1

2012-01-17T13:06:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars have arrived safely in Alberta and are set to begin their three-game road-trip on Wednesday night against the Edmonton Oil Kings. But this isn’t just an ordinary road-trip to Seattle or Spokane.

This road trip holds special significance for 10 of the 24 players on the Prince George Cougars roster. Nearly half of the team was born in Alberta.

“It’s really exciting. I’ve been looking forward to it all year,” said Cougars rookie forward Jake Mykitiuk who is from St. Albert, which is not far from the Alberta capital. “We only get to come here once this season, so I hope we can make the most of it.”

Over the course of a 72-game hockey season homesickness is inevitable, and when a player like Troy Bourke (Onoway, AB) gets a chance to visit with his family – He doesn’t take any of it for granted.

“It’s huge. Even better now that we’re winning,” said Bourke who has recorded five assists in his last two games. “It brings a spark back in your game. Over the next few days getting a chance to see everybody will make it that much better.”

Add Rexall Place to the long list of intimidating buildings that the Cougars rookies will be playing on for the first time ever. The advantage here though is that the Cougars have already won in some difficult rinks this season, and this time the Cougars may have more of a home-ice advantage than the opponent realizes.

The Cougars are coming into Wednesday’s game having won both games from the weekend against Lethbridge. When the puck drops Wednesday night they’ll hold two games in hand on the Victoria Royals, and are well within striking distance of that eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Earlier this season, Jordan Tkatch (Prud’Homme, SK) scored goals in four straight games during the Cougars Saskatchewan road-swing. Will one of the 10 Alberta-born players be able to accomplish something similar? Time will tell.

But for now the Prince George Cougars are going to do their best to enjoy a small piece of home’ in the middle of January, and hope that a few home-cooked meals and a louder cheering section can help push them to victory against three difficult Alberta opponents.

The Cougars Have Arrived in Alberta!

2012-01-17T10:12:00.000-08:00

Did you know that 10 of the 24 players on the Prince George Cougars roster were born in Alberta?

Here are the Cougars skating this morning at Rexall Place - Home of the Edmonton Oilers.

Cougars Sweep the Hurricanes.

2012-01-14T22:12:00.001-08:00

Saturday night in Prince George, the Prince George Cougars earned their second victory in a row and their first home weekend sweep of the season. They defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-2 on the strength of 39 saves from Drew Owsley and some timely offense from the likes of Jordan Tkatch and Jesse Forsberg.

It was 1-0 Cougars after one. After a back-and-forth period the Cougars buried at 17:23 when Daulton Siwak converted on a Troy Bourke feed for his seventh of the season and second in as many nights.

The second period was scoreless but the third period was wide open.

Lethbridge opened the third period scoring when Brady Ramsey scored his 16th of the season and all of a sudden Lethbridge had some life.

That quickly changed when Jordan Tkatch forced a turnover at the Lethbridge blueline and raced down the left wing and buried a wrister past Damien Ketlo for his 10th of the season.

The Cougars then increased their lead when Jesse Forsberg tipped home an Alex Forsberg shot for a power play goal, and ultimately the game-winner.

Jake Mykitiuk added some insurance for the Cougars at 12:13 of the period and the rest was history.

Lethbridge did score a power play marker in the final minute (Jay Merkley) but it was too little, too late. Drew Owsley made 39 saves on 41 shots faced to earn his 14th victory of the season.

The Cougars finished the game one-for-five on the power play while Lethbridge countered with a one-for-two result. The Cougars were outshot 41-27.

With the victory, the Cougars now sit one point back of both the Victoria Royals and the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL’s Western Conference.

The Cougars are back in action Wednesday night, in Edmonton. Wednesday’s game marks the first of a three-game Alberta road-swing for the Cougars.

Cats and 'Canes Part Two.

2012-01-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

Tonight, the Prince George Cougars look for their first weekend sweep at CN Centre in 2012 as they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a second consecutive evening. Last night the Cougars doubled up the ‘Canes 6-3 and earned their fifth home-ice victory of the season.

Overview:

The Lethbridge Hurricanes come into this weekend sitting last in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Through 45 games, Lethbridge has won 16 games and holds a record of 16-28-0-1. The Hurricanes are 4-6-0-0 in their last 10 games and are 13 points back of the Brandon Wheat Kings for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Who’s Up Front:

19-year-old forward Brody Sutter was the best Hurricane on the ice for the large majority of last night’s contest. Sutter scored a power play goal and used his size and skill to make life very difficult for the opposing team. Sutter has 18 goals this season and leads the Hurricanes with 37 points in 41 games.

Who’s on D:

The Lethbridge Hurricanes got some quality minutes last night from 92-born defenceman Daniel Johnston. Johnston has 16 points through 29 games this season. He skates well, moves the puck swiftly and saw a lot of ice-time against the top forwards of the Cougars.

Who’s in Goal:

It wasn’t an easy night for 20-year-old goaltender Damien Ketlo. Ketlo was pulled after allowing five goals on 25 shots faced in last night’s game. Granted Ketlo didn’t have much of a chance on most of the goals, but Liam Liston came in and was solid the rest of the way stopping 14 of the 15 pucks he faced.

X-Factor:

If the Hurricanes want to split this weekend’s set in Prince George they’ll need to be better disciplined in tonight’s game. The Hurricanes surrendered 10 power plays against while the Cougars only surrendered five.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game trailing the Victoria Royals by one point in the WHL’s Western Conference. The Cougars are 3-7-0-0 in their last 10 games and are 14-26-0-2 on the year.

Who’s Up Front:

It was a breakout game offensively for the trio of Daulton Siwak, Alex Forsberg and Troy Bourke. Those three combined for six points last night, and really looked like they were starting to gel together. If these three can continue to produce like they did last night, the Cougars will give themselves a great chance to win their second straight on home ice.

Who’s on D:

Cody Carlson showed last night what he was all about. Not only was he responsible defensively, but Carlson contributed a goal and two assists. He heads into tonight’s game ranked 14th in the WHL for scoring amongst defencemen with 29 points in 42 games.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley was once again brilliant for the Prince George Cougars as he made 49 saves on the 52 shots he faced. Owsley gives the Cougars a chance to win on a nightly basis, and there is a real belief that if the Cougars get into the playoffs, Owsley has the ability to steal games. Whether Owsley goes tonight has not yet been officially decided, but either Owsley or Devon Fordyce can expect a hungry Lethbridge team to show up ready tonight.

X-Factor:

The Cougars were able to score twice on the power play and perhaps even more importantly were able to use the power play as a momentum changer in the first period. Jesse Forsberg has found a new niche for himself on the man-advantage and was able to score his first of the season on a tip-in last night. If the Cougars can keep this positive momentum going on the power play, it bodes very well for them as they get set for an Alberta road-trip next week.

Carlson Leads the Cats By the 'Canes.

2012-01-13T22:21:00.003-08:00

Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars got three point nights from both Cody Carlson and Troy Bourke, and Drew Owsley made 49 saves to give the Prince George Cougars a 6-3 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The game did not start well for the Cougars who at one point were outshot 7-0 by the visitors. Lethbridge opened the scoring when Craig Leverton converted off a Cougars turnover in the slot to give his team the 1-0 advantage.

At the halfway point of the period the Cougars were being outshot 14-3 and were being badly outplayed by the Hurricanes. Everything changed when the Cougars were given a series of power plays. They failed to score on a five-on-three, but with one second left on the man advantage Jesse Forsberg tipped home a Cody Carlson point-shot for his first goal of the season.

65 seconds later the Cougars followed it up with another as Jordan Tkatch knocked home a Reid Jackson rebound for his ninth and the Cats led 2-1. Another 1:42 later and the Cougars struck again on the power play. Cody Carlson hammered home a one-timer off a pass from Troy Bourke, and the Cougars skated into the intermission up 3-1. The shots were 21-16 favoring Lethbridge after one.

The Hurricanes inched back within one at the 8:51 mark of the second period on the power play when Brody Sutter one-timed a pass home for his 18th, but 12 seconds later the Cougars bounced right back with one of their own. Daulton Siwak converted on a Troy Bourke pass for his sixth of the season and his first as a Cougar to make it 4-2.

Cody Carlson’s second of the period and Brady Ramsay’s 15th of the year for Lethbridge rounded out the scoring in the second period. The other major highlight of the second came when Nick Buonassisi was stopped on a penalty-shot by Drew Owsley. Owsley has now faced three penalty-shots this season and has stopped them all.

Greg Fraser scored the lone goal of the third period on a nice individual effort, and the Cougars were able to shut the door from there.

Lethbridge outshot the Cougars 52-40 but the Cougars won the special-teams war. The Cougars finished with two power play goals while the Hurricanes were one-for-five on the night.

The Cougars victory coupled with a Victoria loss now moves Prince George within one point of the Victoria Royals for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings. The Cougars record now sits at 14-26-0-2 through 42 games.

Carlson Leads the Cats By the 'Canes.

2012-01-13T22:21:00.001-08:00

Cougars - Hurricanes Preview

2012-01-13T08:58:00.001-08:00

Tonight, on Friday the 13th the Prince George Cougars welcome the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the first of back-to-back meetings at CN Centre. Tonight’s game marks the first time these teams have seen each other this season, and it’s a very important weekend for both teams who both have playoff aspirations.

Overview:

The Lethbridge Hurricanes come into this weekend sitting in second last in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Through 44 games, Lethbridge has won 16 games and holds a record of 16-27-0-1. The Hurricanes are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games and will no doubt be ready t o give it their all against the Cougars this weekend.

Who’s Up Front:

With the departure of Cam Braes to Moose Jaw at the trading deadline, the bulk of the offensive load now falls onto the shoulders of 20-year-old winger Brody Sutter’s shoulders. Through 40 games, Sutter has 36 points through 40 games played and he leads Lethbridge with 17 goals. Seven of his goals have come on the power play.

Who’s on D:

19-year-old blueliner Landon Oslanski leads the Hurricanes with 18 points through 43 games. He leads all Hurricanes defenceman with five goals and is second on the team in penalty minutes.

Who’s in Goal:

The Lethbridge Hurricanes have two very capable netminders that could both hypothetically see some time this weekend. 20-year-old Damien Ketlo comes into tonight’s game with a 12-14 record, a 3.47 goals against average and a save percentage of .904. Alternatively the Hurricanes could go with 18-year-old netminder Liam Liston. Liston is 4-9 this season with a 4.65 goals against average and a save percentage of .874.

X-Factor:

Tonight marks the return of former Cougars forward Nick Buonassisi. Since joining the Hurricanes, Buonassisi has put up 25 points in 32 games and has become one of the major focal points of the Hurricanes offense. Buonassisi will no doubt want to bring his best against his former team tonight.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars come into tonight’s game with a record of 13-26-0-2. They sit ninth in the Western Conference and are just three points back of Victoria for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Cougars have lost five in a row, but in those five games they only played Kamloops and Vancouver. Perhaps a fresh opponent is just what the doctor ordered for the Cougars who are due to break out offensively any day now.

Who’s Up Front:

Alex Forsberg made his return to the Cougars lineup on Tuesday in Vancouver which will no doubt prove to be a big boost for the Prince George Cougars. The 16-year-old rookie is second in team scoring with 26 points in 36 games this season. He leads the team with 11 goals and is tied for the team lead in power play points with 12.

Who’s on D:

Now that Ricard Blidstrand has had a practice or two under his belt, I’d expect to see a much more confident and comfortable defender tonight. Blidstrand showed some good poise and strength in Tuesday’s matchup with Vancouver, and he definitely is happy to be in Prince George and wants to make an impact with his new teammates.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley was effective Tuesday in Vancouver stopping 22 of the 25 shots he faced. Two of the goals that beat him were scored on the power play and he certainly provided his team with timely saves. Whether it’s Drew Owsley or Devon Fordyce in goal tonight – Either will need to be at their best and hope that tonight is the night that the offense is ready to break out and give them some run support.

X-Factor:

The big X-Factor tonight will be for the Cougars to get off to a fast start and to get the crowd going. If the Cougars can throw a few big hits early and maybe strike early. It will help put them at ease, and will allow them to be the aggressor on home ice. 18 of the final 31 games for the Cougars will be played at home, and it’ll be important for them to start the second-half of their home games on the right foot tonight against Lethbridge.

Some Brief Food For Thought.

2012-01-12T11:53:00.000-08:00

A couple of things jumped out at me this morning while I was looking through the Prince George Cougars schedule:

1) Of the 31 games remaining for the Cougars, 18 will be played at home. I know that the Cougars home record has been disappointing this season, but you could certainly argue the fact that playing at home certainly gives the Cougars more comfort and puts them in a more favorable position to succeed.

2) Of the 31 games remaining for the Cougars, 17 will be played against teams with a .500 record or lower. Over half of the Cougars remaining games will come against opponents that are relatively close to them in the standings record-wise.

3) The Prince George Cougars have six games remaining against the Victoria Royals. It is entirely concievable that whoever wins the six-game series between Victoria and Prince George will wind up in the top eight of the Western Conference playoff picture.

4) I know that the Cougars are 0-5-0-0 in their last five games, but all five games have been played against either Vancouver or Kamloops who haven't lost much of anything as of late to anybody else. This doesn't give the Prince George Cougars a free pass, but it certainly should shed a little perspective into the recent struggles.

The Cougars host the Lethbridge Hurricanes tomorrow night at CN Centre with a 7:00 puck drop. I can't wait.

Giants 3 - Cougars 0.

2012-01-11T06:56:00.001-08:00

Tuesday night in Vancouver the Prince George Cougars were defeated 3-0 by the Vancouver Giants. The Giants converted on two of their eight power play attempts while the Cougars were unable to solve rookie goaltender Jackson Whsitle.

The Giants took the lead half-way through the first period when Dalton Sward beat Drew Owsley with a wrist-shot from the slot. Owsley was screened on the play and was unable to deny Sward of his 10th goal of the season.

After the Cougars failed to score on two consecutive power plays the Giants were given the chance, and took full advantage. Nathan Burns fed Brendan Gallagher in the left circle, and he fired one past Drew Owsley to give Vancouver a 2-0 lead after one. The shots on goal were 9-5 Vancouver after one.

The Cougars got off to a good start in period two and had some chances early, but credit the Giants defenders and goaltender for keeping the game at 2-0. Drew Owsley made two big saves in the second – One off of Brendan Gallagher on a wrap-around and the other was a breakaway save off of Nathan Burns.

Late in the second the Giants would convert on another power play. Jordan Martinook tipped home a Marek Tvrdon point-shot. Martinook’s 26th of the season gave Vancouver a 3-0 cushion after 40 minutes.

The Cougars outshot Vancouver 7-4 in the third period, but were unable to beat Jackson Whistle who turned aside all 20 shots he faced for the victory.

The Cougars finished the game zero-for-five on the power play while Vancouver was two-for-eight at the end of the game.

Newly acquired defenceman Ricard Blidstrand made his Cougars debut while AP defencemen joseph Carvalho and Raymond Grewal were impressive again.

The Cougars record now sits at 13-26-0-2 and they sit three points back of the Victoria Royals for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with one game still in hand. The Prince George Cougars will now return home for a weekend set with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Cougars Trade Deadline Recap.

2012-01-10T14:59:00.000-08:00

It was a busy deadline day for the Prince George Cougars.

The Prince George Cougars traded Brett Connolly’s rights to the Tri City Americans. In return, the Cougars receive a fifth round pick in the 2013 draft, while also receiving a conditional first rounder pick in 2013 and a conditional second round pick in 2014.

Earlier this morning, the Cougars traded import defenceman Martin Marincin to the Regina Pats. In exchange the Cougars receive import defenceman Ricard Blidstrand, a first round draft pick in 2012, a second round pick in 2012 and a fifth round pick in 2013.

The Prince George Cougars will have Blidstrand in the lineup tonight when they take on the Vancouver Giants on the road.

In addition to the two trades, the Prince George Cougars have reassigned 17-year-old defenceman Josh Smith to the Alberta Junior Hockey League, and have recalled 18-year-old forward John Odgers for the remainder of the season.

Connolly's Rights Dealt to Tri City Americans.

2012-01-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars have traded Brett Connolly’s rights to the Tri City Americans. In return, the Prince George Cougars receive a fifth round draft pick in 2013, a conditional first round draft pick in 2013 and a conditional second round draft pick in 2014.

“When Brett Connolly made the Tampa Bay Lightning in October, we felt that he would be there for the full season and wouldn’t be coming back to us,” said Prince George Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “If Brett Connolly does come back to the Western Hockey League this season – We’re happy with our return in this deal.”

Connolly was selected sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Connolly has played in 29 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season and has recorded four goals and eight points during his rookie season.

2012-01-10T10:42:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Vancouver Giants meet for the eighth and final time tonight at the Pacific Coliseum. The Cougars are 1-5-0-1 against Vancouver this season, and would snap a four-game losing skid with a victory.

Overview:

The Vancouver Giants are 6-4-0-0 in their last 10 games and are currently sitting fourth in the WHL’ Western Conference standings. The Giants are coming off an 8-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks.

Who’s Up Front:

Brendan Gallagher wasted no time in making an impact in his return to the Vancouver Giants lineup. Days removed from a bronze medal at the World Juniors, Gallagher scored three goals, and added four assists for Vancouver in their 8-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks.

Who’s on D:

Yesterday the Vancouver Giants bolstered their defense when they added 19-year-old Tyler Vanscourt in a trade with Moose Jaw. Vanscourt has recorded 21 points in 40 games this season, and adds some stability to the Giants blueline. Vanscourt is expected to make his Giants debut tonight against Prince George.

Who’s in Goal:

20-year-old goaltender Adam Morrison has six victories this season against Prince George and 24 victories altogether this season. Morrison has a goals against average of 2.49 and a save percentage of .910. His backup goaltender is Jackson Whistle who is still searching for his first victory in the WHL.

X-Factor:

Cain Franson has recorded 11 points (4G, 7A) in six games this season against the Prince George Cougars. The 18-year-old product of Sicamous, BC always seems to bring his best against Prince George, and the Cats will need to keep him in check if they want to find success tonight.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are still seeking their first victory of 2012. They have dropped their last four games, and have had their struggles with consistency as of late. That being said the Cougars are still just three points back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and are just a good bounce or two away from turning things around. The Cats come into tonight’s game with a record of 13-25-0-2.

Who’s Up Front:

The Prince George Cougars have scored the fewest goals of any team in the Western Hockey League, and in order for them to get back on the right side of the win column, they’ll need a group effort offensively. The top trio of Alex Forsberg, Troy Bourke and Daulton Siwak will need to do their part, but the Cougars are going to need some help from the other three lines. If the Cats can get some production from the likes of Greg Fraser and Campbell Elynuik, they’ll get the ball rolling in the right direction. It’s only a matter of time.

Who’s on D:

It’ll be important for the Cougars to restore some defensive confidence tonight. The Cougars strength lies in their depth on the back-end, and guys like Jesse Forsberg, Dan Gibb and Cody Carlson are no doubt going to be ready for a big game against Vancouver. They big key for the Cougars will be to keep Vancouver off of the power play.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley did not get a lot of help in Saturday’s 6-1 loss to Kamloops, but was still pulled after allowing his fifth goal on 30 shots. Devon Fordyce stepped in and played well for the Cougars, surrendering just one goal on 11 shots faced. Regardless of who gets the call, the Cougars may need their goaltender to steal a victory.

X-Factor:

Discipline. If the Cougars can keep their opponent off of the power play they’ll give themselves a much better opportunity to secure two points. The Giants are dangerous in any situation, but they are much more of a threat with the extra attacker.

Cougars Trade Marincin to Regina.

2012-01-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars have traded import defenceman Martin Marincin (1992 – Kosice, Slovakia.) along with three draft-picks to the Regina Pats in exchange for import defenceman Ricard Blidstrand (1992 – Stockholm, Sweden.), a first round draft pick in 2012, a second round draft pick in 2012 and a 5th round draft pick in 2013.

Ricard Blidstrand has record 13 points (three goals) through 30 games played this season with Regina. Blidstrand has also registered 16 penalty minutes and is a +4. Blidstrand has played 100 games in the Western Hockey League and has 30 career points, all with Regina.

In addition to Marincin, the Cougars are also trading a fourth round draft pick in 2012, a seventh round draft pick in 2012 and a 4th round draft pick in 2013 to complete the deal.

Marincin had four goals and 17 points through 30 games this season with the Prince George Cougars.

The Prince George Cougars wish Martin Marincin good luck as he continues his Western Hockey League career in Regina.

Prince George City Council Approves Pilot Program to Sell Liquor During Cougars Games.

2012-01-09T23:27:00.000-08:00

Check out the story HERE courtesy of CKPG.

This is my opinion is a huge step forward for the City of Prince George, and should greatly help the atmosphere at CN Centre.

The most important thing in my opinion is giving fans the option. Now it's important for the fans to not abuse the privilege.

Blazers 6 - Cougars 1

2012-01-07T23:15:00.001-08:00

Saturday night in Prince George, the Prince George Cougars were defeated 6-1 by the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers scored twice in each period while the Cougars countered with an early power play marker in the second period that was scored by Martin Marincin.

The Blazers led 2-0 after one. Both Kamloops goals came courtesy of Brendan Ranford who scored once on a power play in a scrum in front of Drew Owsley, and scored the other on a breakaway. The shots were 14-5 for Kamloops after one.

Early in the second, the Cougars found some life in the power play. Martin Marincin fired a shot home from the right point with Jesse Forsberg screening Cole Cheveldave. Marincin’s fourth of the season put the Cougars within one, and for the next six minutes were the better team. The Cougars had a couple of good chances to score, but neither Troy Bourke or Martin Marincin were able to beat Cole Cheveldave.

Kamloops extended their lead to 3-1 when Tim Bozon knocked home a bouncing puck in the slot area, and late in the period Bronson Maschmeyer tallied on the power play to give Kamloops a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.

Early in the third the Blazers made it 5-1 on Maschmeyer’s second of the game. The 5-1 goal spelt the end of the night for Drew Owsley who stopped 25 of the 30 shots he faced. Devon Fordyce relieved Owsley and surrendered one goal on 11 shots faced. The final goal from Kamloops came courtesy of Matthew Needham who scored on a power play late in the third.

The final shots on goal were 41-16 for Kamloops. The Blazers went three-for-six on the power play while the Cougars were one-for-two.

The Cougars record now sits at 13-25-0-2 and they now trail Victoria by three points in the Western Conference standings with two games still in hand.

The Cats are back in action on ‘Trade Deadline Tuesday’ in Vancouver.

Cougars Blazers Preview.

2012-01-07T11:45:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers will meet for a third consecutive game tonight at CN Centre. The Cougars have now gone two full games in a row without scoring, and are hoping to break out offensively in tonight’s game.

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS:

Overview:

The Kamloops Blazers are currently ranked second on the Western Conference and first in the B.C. Division. The Blazers are 27-10-1-2 through 40 games and are 5-2-0-0 this season against the Cougars.

Who’s Up Front:

The Kamloops Blazers can come at you in waves and they showed that again last night. Colin Smith led the way with a goal and an assist, and now has 20 goals on the season to lead the team. Smith leads the Blazers with 47 points through 40 games.

Who’s on D:

The game winner last night was scored by 20-yuear-old defenseman Bronson Maschmeyer. Maschmeyer has five goals now on the season and has 20 points through 40 games and is a +15.

Who’s in Goal:

Having posted back-to-back shutouts against Prince George, Cole Cheveldave is on a roll. Cheveldave is 19-5-1-2 with three shutouts. Cam Lanigan is his backup and could get the call. It all depends on the plan that Guy Charron and Dave Hunchak had in place for the weekend.

X-Factor:

Depth. It’s probably the largest contributing factor to the Blazers’ great record and it will need to continue to be strong if the Blazers want to make a strong push down the stretch. The Cougars need to maintain their defensive intensity no matter which trio of forwards are on the ice.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are 4-6-0-0 in their last 10 games and are still two points back of eighth place in the Western Conference. The Cougars have only scored one goal in their last three games and are looking to regain some of their offensive confidence tonight against Kamloops.

Who’s Up Front:

In his first game back from U-17’s, Chase Witala was probably the most consistent forward for the Cougars in last night’s game. Witala had his legs going and was not afraid to shoot the puck. He was rewarded late in the game with some ice-time alongside Troy Bourke and Daulton Siwak.

Who’s on D:

To a man the Cougars need to be faster and better defensively. During the post-game show last night, Dean Clark stressed the fact that he wants to see quicker passes and smarter decisions from his team in their own end. It’ll be important for the likes of Cody Carlson and Dan Gibb to lead the charge defensively and restore some swagger in the defensive zone.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley once again gave his team a chance to win the game and came up big stopping 42 of 44 shots faced. It’s not known yet whether Drew Owsley will get the call in net again tonight, but he’s certainly deserving of another start. Regardless of which goaltender goes tonight for Prince George, they’ll need some offensively help.

X-Factor:

The biggest key for the Cougars tonight will be to play to their strengths. They’ll need to be physical at both ends of the ice, and they’ll also need to go hard to the net and create as much traffic as possible in front of either Cole Cheveldave or Cam Lanigan. Getting a lead would also be a big boost for the Cougars, who are 11-5-0-1 when they score the first goal.

Blazers 2 - Cougars 0

2012-01-06T22:06:00.000-08:00

Cole Cheveldave continues to find success against the Prince George Cougars.

Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars were beaten 2-0 by the Kamloops Blazers. The Cats fired 32 shots at Cole Cheveldave, but were unable to put one past him. Drew Owsley was sharp for Prince George stopping 42 of 44 shots faced at the other end.

It was scoreless after 20 minutes of play. The Blazers outshot Prince George 16-7, but Kamloops also had the benefit of three first period power plays. Both goaltenders were strong early. Drew Owsley made some key saves while short-handed and Cole Cheveldave made two key saves off of Chase Witala to keep the game scoreless.

Early in the second period Kamloops drew first blood. Bronson Maschmeyer put home a Tim Bozon rebound for his fifth of the season.

The Cougars had a number of chances to tie the score but were unable to capitalize on three power plays. Cheveldave also made some clutch saves off of Reid Jackson, Greg Fraser and Daulton Siwak.

The third period did not go as well for the Cougars who had trouble generating the type of chances and shots that they did in the second. Kamloops made it 2-0 off a defensive-zone turnover. Colin Smith took the puck unassisted off the boards and fired one past Drew Owsley for his 20th goal of the season.

The Blazers outshot the Cougars 44-32. Both teams went scoreless on the man advantage with the Cougars missing on five opportunities. Kamloops finished zero-for-four.

For Cole Cheveldave it was his third shutout of the season – All of which have come against Prince George.

The Cougars record now sits at 13-24-0-2 while Kamloops improves to 27-10-1-2.

Even with the loss the Cougars still remain just two points behind the Victoria Royals for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They’ll look to climb the Western Conference ladder tomorrow night when they once again host the Kamloops Blazers.

Cougars - Blazers Preview.

2012-01-06T09:02:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers meet again this weekend for two matchups at CN Centre. The Prince George Cougars hold a record of 2-4-0-0 against the Blazers this season, and are looking to snap a two-game skid.

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

Overview:

The Kamloops Blazers are 26-10-1-2 and are coming into this weekend sitting first in the B.C. Division and second place in the Western Conference overall. The Blazers are 5-3-0-2 in their past 10 games but are coming off a 5-0 shutout victory over Prince George last Sunday.

Who’s Up Front:

Blazers forwards Tim Bozon and Colin Smith have each recorded eight points in six games so far this season against Prince George. Bozon leads all Kamloops scorers with six goals. Colin Smith and Brendan Ranford come into tonight’s game tied for the team lead in points with 45 each.

Who’s on D:

One of the most impressive defenceman this season for Kamloops has been 18-year-old defenceman Tyler Hansen. He hasn’t scored a goal, but has managed 12 assists and leads the entire team with a +24 rating.

Who’s in Goal:

Cole Cheveldave earned the 22 save shutout on Sunday in Kamloops and would certainly be a favourite to get the call in goal again this evening. If not, the Blazers could go with Cam Lanigan who is 7-4 this season.

X-Factor:

The Kamloops Blazers were three-for-eight on the man-advantage Sunday. The Cougars will need to stay disciplined and minimize the Blazers opportunities with the extra man. If the Cougars can stay five-on-five with Kamloops they give themselves a better chance.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games and are heading into this weekend trailing the Victoria Royals by two points in the Western Conference. The Cougars won their last outing at home, 3-1 against the Calgary Hitmen. The Cougars record is 13-23-0-2

Who’s Up Front:

The Prince George Cougars will be pleased to welcome back Alex Forsberg (26 points), Jordan Tkatch (11 points), Chase Witala (nine points) and Jarrett Fontaine (five points) back to the lineup this evening. All four have recently returned from the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, and all will help provide depth and skill to this Cougars hockey club.

Who’s on D:

The Cougars also get 19-year-old Martin Marincin back from the World Junior hockey championships. Marincin will add size, skill and a power play presence to the Cougars lineup and makes them instantly better at both ends of the ice.

Who’s in Goal:

Admittedly Sunday was not Drew Owsley’s best outing of the season but he’s been great at bouncing back this season, and he’ll also have some more fresh bodies in front of him which will help greatly. Owsley was recently named the Prince George Cougars player of the month for December.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars need a good start in tonight’s game. When the Cougars score first they are 11-5-0-1 this season. The Cats had a great start on December 28th at home against Calgary, and if they can duplicate that type of start, they’ll put themselves into a great position to find success and victory.

Cats and Denny's to Host 'Pajama Party' on January 7th.

2012-01-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

It will easily be the comfiest game of the season.

The Prince George Cougars have teamed up with Denny’s and are hosting a ‘pajama party’ on Saturday, January 7th when the Cougars host the Kamloops Blazers. All fans are encouraged to wear their comfiest pajamas to the game. Participants will have a chance to win great prizes courtesy of Denny’s.

“It can be a lot of fun to have theme nights during the season and so we have been incorporating them into our game plans on a regular basis this season” said Prince George Cougars Vice President Brandi Brodsky. “You don’t always have the opportunity to watch a live hockey game in your pj’s, so here’s your chance!”

Saturday evening will also feature an exciting first-intermission relay competition featuring Denny’s prizing. Denny’s will also have a kiosk set-up in the concourse which allows fans to meet the local Denny’s team.

Both games this weekend start at 7:00 and tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 250-564-5585.

Cats Welcome the 'Hitman'

2012-01-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Cougars fans will get to see more than just great hockey on Minor Hockey Night Friday, January 13. The Cougars are pleased to announce that Bret “The Hitman” Hart will make a guest appearance at both games on January 13 and 14 as the Cougars take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Hart will perform the ceremonial puck drop on January 13th followed by an autograph session in Section E during the 1st intermission. The following night, January 14, one lucky fan will be chosen to compete against Hart in an on-ice contest during the 1st intermission.

Minor hockey players and their families are invited to join the Cougars for Minor Hockey Night on January 13 and are encouraged to wear their team jerseys. If at least eight teams purchase group tickets, the team to sign up the most people on their group ticket form will have select Cougars players join them at an upcoming practice. The winning team will be announced during the 1st intermission.

In addition, one lucky minor hockey player will take home a goalie stick courtesy of the Prince George Cougars and fans will have the chance to win great prizes from our sponsors, including an autographed youth Cougars jersey courtesy of Ken Laursen of Royal LePage. Fans can also take advantage of a team autograph session after the game in Section V, where they can bring their Cougars memorabilia to be signed.

Group tickets (for groups of 15+) must be purchased through Shannon or Amy at the Prince George Cougars office. Contact 250-561-0873 to purchase your tickets today!

Kamloops 5 - Cougars 0

2012-01-02T03:29:00.001-08:00

Sunday night in Kamloops the Prince George Cougars were defeated 5-0 by the Kamloops Blazers. Tim Bozon and Cody Ully each scored twice while Cole Cheveldave recorded a 22-save shutout for Kamloops.

The Blazers got on the board at 9:58 when Cole Ully banged home his fourth of the season. His shot hit the post, then redirected off of Drew Owsley and ‘just’ crossed the goal line.

The Cougars bounced back with several good shifts. Austin Daae was stopped point-blank on a breakaway and Spencer Asuchak and Caleb Belter were also denied by Cole Cheveldave.

Early in the second, the Kamloops Blazers went on a five-on-three power play and took advantage. Brendan Ranford found Brandon Herrod back-door and Harrod tapped it in for his first goal as a Kamloops Blazer.

The Blazers added to their lead at 4:59 of the second. Tim Bozon grabbed a Tyler Bell rebound and slid one past Drew Owsley.

Again the Cougars had their chances, but Cole Cheveldave made some tough saves on Jesse Forsberg and Josh Smith to keep his team ahead by three.

Tim Bozon and Cole Ully each added another marker in a fight-filled third period that had a line-brawl take place in the final minute. John Odgers, Campbell Elynuik, Jake Mykitiuk and Josh Smith were all removed from the game early.

Kamloops outshot Prince George 41-22 and finished the game three-for-eight on the power play. The Cougars went zero-for-three on their opportunities.

The Cougars and Blazers will renew their rivalry on Friday night from Prince George. The Cougars can expect many regulars to return to their lineup as Alex Forsberg, Chase Witala, Jarrett Fontaine and Jordan Tkatch will all be back from Under-17’s and Martin Marincin will be back from World Juniors.

Keys to the Game - Cougars vs. Blazers

2012-01-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

First off, I want to once again wish all of you a Happy New Year! I hope you're not too fuzzy this morning and are ready to enjoy tonight's matchup between the Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers.

Here are some keys to the game tonight for Prince George:

1) The power play. The Cougars have not been properly rewarded for their efforts as of late on the man-advantage. If the Cougars can get their power play going while still maintaining their strong penalty-kill, they'll put themselves in a position to succeed.

2) Keep Ranford, Schaber, and Herrod in check. The Kamloops Blazers have recently acquired 20-year-old forward Brandon Herrod who is supposed to join Brendan Ranford and Chase Shaber on the Blazers' top line. The Cougars will need to be especially aware of these three and will need to minimize their time and space.

3) Discipline. The Blazers come into tonight's game with the league's fifth ranked power play (%23.6). If the Cougars can play five-on-five with Kamloops they'll give themselves a great chance to win.

4) Score first. When the Cougars score the first goal they hold a record of 11-5-0-1. Add the fact that Drew Owsley seems to play his best hockey when his team is leading. If the Cougars can get an early lead, Drew Owsley makes it extremely difficult for opponents to claw their way back.

Enjoy the game tonight.

Cougars - Blazers Preview.

2012-01-01T10:25:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars kick of 2012 with a 6:00 showdown with the Kamloops Blazers. Tonight’s game marks the sixth meeting of the season between these B.C. Division rivals. Prince George has a 2-3-0-0 record so far in the season series.

Overview:

The Kamloops Blazers are currently first in the B.C. Division. The Blazers are 25-10-1-2 on the season and are 5-3-0-2 in their last games. The Blazers are coming off a loss to Calgary on Friday.

Who’s Up Front:

The Kamloops Blazers offense can come at you in waves. Seven of their forwards have registered over 30 points this season. Leading the charge is 19-year-old Brendan Ranford. Ranford leads the Blazers with 44 points in 35 games. Ranford is tied with Colin Smith and Dylan Willick for the team lead in goals with 19.

Who’s on D:

The offensive catalyst for the Blazers on defense is Austin Madaisky. The 19-year-old from Surrey has scored nine goals and has 30 points on the season.

Who’s in Goal:

The Kamloops Blazers have two very capable goaltenders in Cole Cheveldave and Cam Lanigan. Cheveldave has been getting a ton of starts as of late and holds a record of 17-5-1-2 this season. His goals against average is 2.72 and his save percentage is .906.

X-Factor:

The Kamloops Blazers will get their first look at newly acquired forward Brandon Herrod. The Blazers acquired Herrod earlier this week from the Prince Albert Raiders. Through 40 games this season, the 20-year-old has scored 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Vancouver Giants. The Cougars had their three-game road winning streak snapped in the process. The Cougars are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games.

Who’s Up Front:

17-year-old forward Troy Bourke is playing some of his best hockey of the season. Bourke is in the midst of a six-game point streak and during that span has recorded one goal and six assists. The Cougars need Bourke and his linemates to have a big night if they want to get two points in Kamloops.

Who’s on D:

Success tonight will depend on the depth and consistency of the Cougars on defense. The Cougars need to minimize the shots on Drew Owsley, and they’ll need to do so by blocking shots, taking away passing lanes and keeping the Blazers to the outside. Cougars captain Jesse Forsberg is still without a goal this season, and perhaps tonight is the night that he gets his first.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley is playing his best hockey of the season. He’s 7-4-0-0 in his last 11 starts and has truly given the Cougars a chance to win every night. Owsley shutout the Blazers 1-0 back on September 24th and made 32 saves in the process. A similar effort may be needed tonight.

X-Factor:

The Cougars power play is on the verge of breaking out in a big way. They haven’t been able to score in their last 10 opportunities, but it is certainly not for a lack of chances. If the Cougars can take advantage of their power plays while maintaining their successful penalty-kill, the Cougars will give themselves every opportunity to win tonight’s game.

Reflecting on 2011.

2011-12-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

After an extremely difficult 2010, I am happy to say that 2011 was a great year both personally and professionally.

In January my Dad and I took a father-son trip to Phoenix together and spent lots of time golfing, eating, drinking and watching hockey at the Jobing.com arena. We saw the Phoenix Coyotes defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks before losing to San Jose. We also watched the Phoenix Suns battle the Portland Trail Blazers. Anytime you get to see Steve Nash play basketball, you simply must take advantage of the opportunity.

The Battlefords North Stars hockey season ended sooner than anybody had hoped or planned for, but regardless of the outcome it was another enjoyable season in the Battlefords. It was a pleasuring hosting the SJ This Week with Martin Smith, and I had the joy of hosting the SJHL This Week radio show as well. Little did I know that I had called my final SJHL game in mid-March in Flin Flon. The Bombers defeated the Battlefords North Stars 3-2 in Game Four with Ashton Bernard scoring the series-clinching goal.

The greatest personal moment of 2011 occured in early April in Edmonton. It was there after a 2-0 Vancouver Canucks loss to Edmonton where I proposed to Julie Larson after nearly three years together. She accepted my proposal and agreed to marry me in June of 2012. Nearly eight full months later and I have not once questioned my decision.

It was an incredibly enjoyable summer. The major highlight for me was a road-trip that I took to Las Vegas with Julie, and our friends Steve and Michelle. Together we made our way from Saskatoon to Las Vegas in a Dodge Caravan and had the time of our lives. While Vegas was incredible, I think we'd all agree that we had just as much fun discovering Montana, Idaho and Utah. It was an unforgettable trip and I look forward to many more adventures together.

In late July I went camping with some friends in Meota, SK. It was during a concert that night when I learned that Ken Pearson was leaving the Battlefords to return to Winkler to coach. Little did I know that I would soon be making a similar decision of enormous difficulty.

On the Friday afternoon right before we set out for Meota, I had learned about a vacancy within the Prince George Cougars organization. The Cougars were looking for their next play-by-play broadcaster. Getting to the Western Hockey League had always been a dream of mine, and everything about Prince George made sense in my mind.

That being said, I didn't apply with a ton of confidence. A year earlier I had sent out four different applications for WHL positions and all of them were turned down without much dialogue or debate.

I remember telling my friends around a camp fire that weekend in Meota that, "Prince George makes a ton of sense. But 23 things have to go right here, and we're on number three."

I sent my application the following Monday.

48 hours later I was offered the job.

I often tell people that leaving Saskatchewan was a lot tougher than people realize, but after lengthy discussions with Julie, my friends, my colleagues and my Dad, I knew that it was the right decision to make. At around 7:30 PM on Monday evening, Julie told me "Make the Call" and I did.

Prior to the move I got to enjoy a quick trip to Seattle and also a tremendous engagement party that was hosted by my Dad. These two events helped get me ready for the transition to a new stage in my career and in my life.

The transition from North Battleford to Prince George has been incredibly eventful, but I can honestly say that I've embraced every challenge, every joy, every struggle and every new experience that has come our way.

I am learning something new every day and I am so blessed to be a part of the Prince George Cougars organization. The entire organization has welcomed me from the get-go. They've helped steer me in the right direction and have provided a ton of support to both Julie and I.

I will never forget the feeling of watching the clock hit 'zero' and seeing the Prince George Cougars defeat the Kamloops Blazers 1-0 in my WHL broadcasting debut. Since then I've called some exciting victories and some devastating losses, but the thrill never wears off.

I've been fortunate to meet a ton of great people in my short time in Prince George, and I look forward to strengthening these friendships over the course of time. To all of my fellow WHL broadcasters - Thanks for your help and guidance. I have learned so much from you and I aspire to be like you all in some way shape or form.

I am so proud of Julie for taking an enormous leap of faith and joining me on this journey. She continues to inspire me on a daily basis, and her support has meant so much to me during this time of transition.

My Dad has also been a huge pillar of strength for me. One of the greatest perks about this move was the being closer to him and I have greatly enjoyed the time that we've been able to spend together over the past few months.

To all of my friends both near and far, I am incredibly grateful for your support. Your friendship means more to me than you could ever possibly understand, and I look forward to many more years together.

To all of you who helped make 2011 an unforgettable year for me: Thank you. To the Prince George Cougars staff, players and fans: Thank you for welcoming me in, and allowing me to be a part of your team and your city.

Here's to a successful 2012 both professionally and personally. Thanks for reading and supporting this blog. Your readership means more than you'll ever know.

Dan O'Connor
Voice of the Cougars

Friday Thoughts.

2011-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars will wrap up their 2011 schedule tonight with a game in Vancouver against the Giants. The Cougars are 1-4-0-1 against the Giants so far this season and have been outscored 21-12 in those six games altogether.

Let's start with some keys to the game tonight for Prince George:

- Stop Cain Franson. Franson has been a real thorn in the side of the Prince George Cougars. He had five points in two games back on December 16th and 17th. Franson has 35 points through 38 games and has provided the Giants with strong depth.

- Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots. The Prince George Cougars need to find a way to put more pucks on either Adam Morrison or Jackson Whistle. The Cougars have been outshot in all six meetings against the Giants.

- Secondary Scoring. When the Cougars win games, it's usually because of great goaltending and secondary scoring. Last time out the Cougars beat Calgary 3-1, and got goals from three different lines in the process. If the Cougars can get production from more than just the top line, they'll give themselves a good shot.

---

Some other info for you:

- A win for the Cougars tonight would put them at the .500 mark on the road. Heading into tonight's game the Cougars are 9-10-0-1 away from home. The Cats have won three straight games away from CN Centre, and seem to play their best hockey on the road.

- Daulton Siwak (Sea-walk) will make his Cougars debut in tonight's game. Siwak brings some grit, physicality and offensive upside to the Cougars, and also adds some WHL experience. Siwak will likely get time in all situations tonight, and here's hoping that his Cougars debut is a successful one. He will wear number 12 for Prince George.

- Alex Forsberg had an assist for Team West during yesterday's 5-2 loss to Team Pacific.

- So far through two games at the World Juniors, Martin Marincin has recorded one assist.

I'll talk to you from the Rink on Renfrew!

Cougars - Giants Preview.

2011-12-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars will wrap up 2011 with a road game tonight in Vancouver. The Cougars are winners of three consecutive games away from home, and are looking to stop a three-game losing skid against the Vancouver Giants.

Overview:

The Vancouver Giants are 6-4-0-0 in their last 10 games and are currently second in the B.C. Division trailing Kamloops by five points. The Giants are 23-13-1-1 through 38 games.

Who’s Up Front:

Although the Giants will be missing the likes of Brendan Gallagher and Marek Tvrdon, they still have plenty of offense that can contribute. Look no further than 18-year-old forward Cain Franson. Franson has 35 points in 38 games, and had five points in two games against the Cougars back in mid-December. Stopping Franson and his linemates will be the primary mission for the Cougars defensively.

Who’s on D:

20-year-old defenceman Neil Manning is the offensive leader for the Giants on the back-end. He’s got a great first pass, is calm with the puck and is responsible defensively.

Who’s in Goal:

20-year-old Adam Morrison is 5-0-0-0 this season against the Cougars and would be the odds-on favorite to get the call again tonight. That being said, Glen Hanlon may decide to roll with Jackson Whistle and give him another crack at the Cougars.

X-Factor:

The Vancouver Giants power play is lethal when you give it enough opportunity. The last time these teams met was on December 17th, and the Cougars took eight penalties. They’ll need to stay disciplined if they want to have success on the road tonight.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are coming off a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Hitmen on Wednesday at home. The Cats are 7-4-0-0 in their last 11 games and they head into action tonight just two points back of Victoria for eighth place in the Western Conference standings. Depending on how things go tonight, the Cougars could be a top-eight team by the time 2012 rolls around.

Who’s Up Front:

Troy Bourke was superb for the Prince George Cougars on Wednesday. He scored the team’s first goal and was a force almost every time he took the ice. A similar performance from Bourke and his linemates will go along way tonight in Vancouver.

Who’s on D:

The Prince George Cougars were thrilled to have Reid Jackson back in the lineup on Wednesday, and his impact was felt across the board. He was calm with the puck, responsible defensively and provided Dean Clark with some valuable minutes. I expect that Jackson will only get better with more ice-time and opportunity.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley has started the last 11 games for Prince George and has compiled a record of 7-4-0-0 in the process. But Devon Fordyce will need to get a start sooner or later, and tonight might be a fitting time to give him a go. Fordyce played well for Prince George in Vancouver back on November 13th. Either way you slice it, the Cougars will need strong goaltending from either starter if they want to wrap up 2011 with a victory.

X-Factor:

Secondary scoring. The Cougars got goals from all three lines during Wednesday’s win against Calgary, and they’ll need to get production from everybody on the road tonight if they want to find success.

Cats and Rebels Make a Deal

2011-12-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Cats have found a suitor for Charles Inglis.

The Prince George Cougars have traded 1992-born forward Charles Inglis to the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for 1993-born forward Daulton Siwak and a third-round draft pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

Siwak (Olds, AB) stands 6’0’ and weighs 190 pounds and has registered five goals and two assists through 18 games this season.

Siwak has spent his entire WHL career with Red Deer and has recorded 20 goals and 39 points through 161 career games. Siwak has also managed five points in 12 career playoff games with the Rebels,

This summer Siwak participated in the NHL research and development camp which is used by the NHL to explore new rule possibilities for upcoming seasons.

Siwak will join the club on their current road-trip through Vancouver and Kamloops.

Cougars Earn 3-1 Victory Over Calgary.

2011-12-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

It was a night of firsts for John Odgers, and Austin Daae.

Wednesday in Prince George, the Cougars scored a goal in each period and Drew Owsley made 37 saves to lead the Cougars to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen. John Odgers’ first ever goal was the game-winner, and Austin Daae’s first career goal proved to be the clincher.

After killing off a five-on-three in the first period, the Cougars struck first. Troy Bourke skated across the blueline, made a move and then roofed one past Brandon Glover to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

Calgary outshot Prince George 14-13 in the first, and Drew Owsley was strong in goal.

A scary moment for the Cougars late in the first when John Odgers took a hit along the wall from Jaynen Rissling. Rissling was assessed two minutes for interference, and Odgers went to the dressing room to receive medical attention.

Luckily Odgers returned to start the second period and made his mark towards the end.

A few moments after Cody Sylvester tied the score at one, the Cougars took a 2-1 lead. Josh Smith fired a shot from the right-point that deflected off of john Odgers and in. For Odgers it was his first career WHL goal and the Cougars took a 2-1 lead into the third.

After a back-and-forth start to the frame, the Cougars added some insurance. The insurance goal came courtesy of Austin Daae who finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play that featured Cody Carlson and Caleb Belter.

Drew Owsley did the rest. Owsley made some marvelous saves in all three periods, but was especially impressive in the final minutes. He finished with 37 saves on 38 shots faced, and the Cougars won their 13th game of the season.

The Cougars finished zero-for-four on the power play – As did Calgary. The Hitmen outshot Prince George 38-30.

Next up for the Cougars: The Vancouver Giants. The Cats and Giants go head-to-head on Friday night in Vancouver.

Cougars - Hitmen Preview.

2011-12-28T08:56:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars return to action tonight at CN Centre where they’ll welcome the Calgary Hitmen for the first and only time this season. Last season these teams met twice with each team winning at home.

Overview:

The Calgary Hitmen come into tonight’s game with a record of 17-15-2-1 and they currently hold down the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Calgary has dropped their last three games and are 4-5-1-0 in their last 10 games.

Who’s Up Front:

Leading the charge offensively for Calgary is 19-year-old Kelowna native Cody Sylvester. Sylvester has 37 points so far through 32 games and has already surpassed his point totals from last season. Sylvester has also shown that he is responsible defensively having posted a +11 rating.

Who’s on D:

20-year-old defenceman Collin Bowman has contributed 14 points in 24 games since joining the Hitmen in a trade from the Moose Jaw Warriors. Bowman has eight goals this season which leads all Calgary d-men.

Who’s in Goal:

The Hitmen boast two very capable goaltenders in Brandon Glover (92) and Chris Driedger (94). Glover is 8-7-0-0 with a goals against average of 3.22 and a save percentage of .876. Driedger is 9-7-2-1 with a goals against average of 3.11. His save percentage is .883.

X-Factor:

Given the absence of Victor Rask and Greg Chase, the Calgary Hitmen will have the top pick of the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Jake Virtanen in the lineup for tonight’s game in Prince George. This will be Virtanen’s first taste of Western Hockey League play and no doubt he’ll want to make an immediate impact.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game having dropped their last two games. That being said they are 6-4 in their last 10 overall, and are three points back of Seattle for eighth place in the Western Conference. The Cats are 12-21-0-2 through 35 games this season.

Who’s Up Front:

With the likes of Alex Forsberg, Chase Witala, Jordan Tkatch and Jarrett Fontaine away at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, more of the offensive responsibility is going to fall onto the shoulders of Troy Bourke, Spencer Asuchak and Greg Fraser. Fraser is second in team goal-scoring with 10 goals, but hasn’t scored since his three-point night back on December 7th aganst Portland. With so many key absences, Fraser will be especially key for picking up some of the offensive slack.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Prince George Cougars remain largely in tact minus Martin Marincin who is playing with Slovakia at the World Juniors. Big minutes will no doubt be given to Dan Gibb, Cody Carlson and Jesse Forsberg and it will be interesting to see whether either Shane Pilling or Reid Jackson are able to suit up. Both defenseman are recovering from injuries sustained before the break. Getting either of those two back in the lineup would be a huge boost for the Cats defensively.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley has started in 10 straight games for the Cougars and in that span he is 6-4-0-0 with a goals against average of 2.80 and a save percentage of .912. Dean Clark may decide to roll Devon Fordyce, who hasn’t started since November 23rd in Kelowna.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars have shown this season that when they score first and start quickly, they tend to find success. The ultimate x-factor tonight for the Cougars will be a fast, aggressive start.

Cougars Odds and Ends.

2011-12-27T11:16:00.000-08:00

Good morning,

I just wanted to provide a few updates for you as we all get back into the swing of things. The Cougars are set to welcome the Calgary Hitmen tomorrow night to CN Centre. It'll mark the first of two meetings this season between the clubs. You can expect a full preview posted either this afternoon or tomorrow morning, but for now, here is some more food for thought.

- Cougars Alumni forward Brett Connolly scored a goal 53 seconds into the third period while helping Canada to an 8-1 victory over Finland Monday at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

- TSN has announced this morning that Brett Connolly has been promoted to first-line duties with Team Canada. The entire story can be found here.

- Cougars defenceman Martin Marincin will be in action tonight with Slovakia as they face off against Latvia at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Marincin has represented Slovakia in two prior tournaments.

- Congrats to Prince George Cougars prospect defenceman Joseph Carvalho who scored once and added an assist for the Vancouver NW Giants during Day One of the Mac's Tournament in Calgary. Carvalho was named Player of the Game for Vancouver during their 6-2 loss to the UFA Bisons.

- Raymond Grewal had an assist for the Caribbo Cougars during their team's 4-2 loss to Pirati Chomutov.

- Jordan Harris and the Prince Albert Mintos defeated Brett Zarowny and the Leduc Chrysler Oil Kings 5-1. Harris was held off the score-sheet while Zarowny took the loss for Leduc.

Cougars Fall 3-1 to Giants.

2011-12-17T22:34:00.001-08:00

Saturday in Prince George, the Prince George Cougars fell 3-1 to the Vancouver Giants. Cain Franson scored twice and Adam Morrison stopped 22 of 23 shots for the victory. Alex Forsberg countered with the lone goal for Prince George while Drew Owsley made 32 saves on 34 shots faced.

It was a scoreless game after 20 minutes but it wasn’t for a lack of chances from the Cougars. Adam Morrison made several key stops including one point-blank from Austin Daae. The Giants outshot the Cougars 7-6 in the first period.

Early in the second period the Cougars thought they had taken the lead short-handed. Austin Daae followed up a Greg Fraser shot and put one clean off the cross-bar. Fans celebrated like the Cougars had scored, and a number of teddy bears made their way onto the ice because of Teddy Bear and Toque Toss. The officials reviewed the play and no goal was scored.

The Giants struck first in the second period when Cain Franson received a pass from Dalton Sward and made no mistake for his 13th of the season. Franson added his second of the night at 9:57 on a double-minor power play.

Late in the second period things got tense when Matt Bellerive took a goaltender interference penalty on Drew Owsley. Owsley went after Bellerive and was penalized as well, and the teams started the third period four-on-four.

The Cougars nearly opened the scoring early in the third period, but Jesse Forsberg was denied on a short-handed breakaway by Adam Morrison.

With just over six minutes remaining in the game, Jesse Forsberg dropped the gloves with Luke Fenske after he threw a big body-check. Fans applauded the fight, and proceeded to throw their Teddy Bears onto the ice. The game was delayed for several minutes while numerous helpers cleaned up the ice.

The Cougars then went to a power play because of an instigator penalty to Fenske, and made the Giants pay. Alex Forsberg potted his 11th of the season to give the Cougars some life. For Forsberg it was the third consecutive game where he’s scored.

Unfortunately that was it for the Cougars offense. Austin Vetterl scored an empty-netter and the Giants won it 3-1.

The Giants outshot the Cougars 35-23 and finished one-for-seven on the power play. The Cougars finished one for five on the man advantage in defeat.

Next up, a break for the Cougars. They return to action on December 28th at home against the Calgary Hitmen. They will do so without the services of Alex Forsberg, Jarrett Fontaine, Chase Witala and Jordan Tkatch who are all representing their provinces at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge taking place in Windsor, Ontario starting December 29th.

The Cougars head into the break with a record of 12-21-0-2 and they currently sit ninth in the Western Conference, just one point back of Seattle for eighth place.

Cougars - Giants Preview (Part Two)

2011-12-17T11:20:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Vancouver Giants meet again tonight at CN Centre for the sixth time this season. Last night the Giants scored three goals in the third period and earned the 3-2 victory. So far this season the Cougars are 1-4-0-1 against Vancouver.

Overview:

The Vancouver Giants are 21-12-1-1 through 35 games this season and they head into tonight’s game four points out of first place in the B.C. Division.

Who’s Up Front:

With both Brendan Gallagher and Marek Tvrdon attending World Junior matters, the bulk of the offensive responsibility falls onto the shoulders of Jordan Martinook, Cain Franson and Giants captain James Henry. All three were strong in last night’s game, but Franson was particularly effective. Franson had a goal and two assists and now has 32 points on the season.

Who’s on D:

Neil Manning showed last night why he is considered to be one of the top 20-year-old defenseman in the WHL. Manning set up Cain Franson’s breakaway goal and was very dependable at both ends of the ice. Manning will be the focal point tonight on the Giant’s blueline due to the fact that David Musil will be out of the lineup attending the Czech Republic’s World junior camp.

Who’s in Goal:

Vancouver Giants goaltender Adam Morrison became the first WHL goaltender to earn 20 victories last night. Morrison is very active and can play the puck as well as any goaltender in the WHL. He made 19 saves on 21 shots faced and may very well get the call again tonight. If not, then backup Jackson Whistle may be called into action. Whistle is still looking for his first win in the WHL.

X-Factor:

Giants forward Jordan Martinook is second on the team in goal scoring with 20. He trails only Brendan Gallagher for the team lead. Martinok played a strong game last night even though he was held off the score sheet. He gives Vancouver instant offense, and will need to be guarded closely again tonight by the Cougars defense core.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game with a record of 12-20-0-2 through 34 games. The Cougars are one point back of eighth place Seattle, and they trail Victoria by four, and Kelowna by five points in the Western Conference standings.

Who’s Up Front;

16-year-old forward Alex Forsberg is playing his best hockey right now for Prince George. Forsberg scored both goals last night for the Cats, and he along with linemates Troy Bourke and Spencer Asuchak provided the Cougars with the most consistency. Forsberg leads the Cougars with 25 points in 34 games.

Who’s on D:

It was a tough night for the Cougars defensively last night. The puck was bouncing around a lot in the defensive zone, and the Cougars (to a man) had trouble winning battles. The Cougars strength is in their depth on the blueline, and I expect that everybody from Dan Gibb through Michael Mylchreest will be ready to go tonight.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley made 30 saves on 33 shots faced last night for Prince George. He was especially sharp in the second period when the Cougars got into some penalty trouble. Owsley’s play likely earns him another crack at the Giants tonight, but Dean Clark could very easily decide to go with Devon Fordyce and give him a start here before the break.

X-Factor:

With only one game remaining before the holiday break the Prince George Cougars are fortunate with the fact that tonight’s game is a Teddy Bear and Toque toss game. It could very well be the largest crowed of the season to date for tonight’s game, and I expect that the crowd alone will be enough to force the Cougars into the right frame of mind. If the Cougars can score early and get the crowd going, they’ll give themselves plenty of self-motivation and confidence. A win tonight for the Cougars could very well push them into the top eight at the break, and while the Cougars still have plenty of time left in the season, that alone would likely help them enjoy their break that much more.

Cats Drop a 3-2 Score to Vancouver

2011-12-16T22:34:00.001-08:00

Friday in Prince George, the Prince George Cougars dropped a 3-2 score to the Vancouver Giants. Vancouver scored three goals in the third period en route to victory. Prince George countered with two goals from Alex Forsberg.

The Cougars led 1-0 after one period. They opened the scoring at 3:58 when Alex Forsberg’s attempted centering pass careened off a Giant and into the net. For Forsberg it was his ninth of the season.

Vancouver outshot Prince George 7-4 after one period of play.

The second period was scoreless due in large part to the play of Cougars netminder Drew Owsley. Owsley made 14 saves, many of which took place on Giants power plays. Vancouver had three powerplays in the third but could not score.

The Giants did get on the board early in the third. Neil Manning threw a lengthy pass up ice right onto the tape of Cain Franson. Franson went in alone on Drew Owsley and buried his 12th of the season. 1:49 later the Giants struck again – This time it was Taylor Makin who buried his seventh of the season to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.

19 seconds later the Cougars tied it. Alex Forsberg threw a wrist-shot on goal through traffic. The shot went directly over the right shoulder of Adam Morrison and into the net to make it 2-2.

The game stayed tied until 10:19 of the third period. Jackson Houck found a bouncing puck in the slot, and spun and fired a low shot underneath Drew Owsley to give Vancouver the 3-2 lead and the victory.

The Cougars were outshot 33-21 and finished zero-for-one on the power play. With the win, the Giants earned their fourth win of the season against Prince George.

The Cougars record falls to 12-20-0-2 while the Giants improve to 21-12-1-1.

The Cougars will look to get back on track Saturday when they face the Giants again. The Cougars are holding their Teddy Bear and Toque Toss game, which will no doubt create an intense atmosphere at CN Centre.

Cougars - Giants Preview.

2011-12-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars return to action tonight at CN Centre. For the fifth time this season, the Cougars will go head-to-head with the Vancouver Giants. Both teams will be missing some key bodies during this weekend’s set of games. But both teams have plenty of depth and talent, and the team that utilizes their depth the best will find the most success.

VANCOUVER GIANTS:

Overview:

The Vancouver Giants are winless in their last two games, and are 5-4-1-0 in their last 10 games. The Giants last played on Tuesday night in Kent, where they lost 3-0 to the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Who’s Up Front:

With both Brendan Gallagher and Marek Tvrdon attending World Junior matters, a lot of the offensive onus will placed onto the shoulders of Giants captain James Henry. So far this season Henry has recorded 32 points in 34 games and he leads the team in assists with 26.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Vancouver Giants are led by the duo of David Musil (93) and Neil Manning (91). Both Manning and Musil lead the Giants in points for defenceman with 16 each. Both are reliable rear-guards and will likely be seeing a ton of big minutes against the Cougars top players.

Who’s in Goal:

Vancouver Giants goaltender Adam Morrison comes into tonight’s contest with a 19-7-1-1 record with a 2.46 Goals Against and a save percentage of .909. Morrison has beaten the Cougars three times this season. Morrison’s backup is 16-year-old Jackson Whistle who is 0-4 on the year.

X-Factor:

The Vancouver Giants are extremely dangerous on special teams. They head into tonight’s game with the league’s 7th ranked power play and the league’s fourth best penalty-kill. No Brendan Gallagher and no Marek Tvrdon will hurt the Giants power play somewhat. But the likes of James Henry, Jordan Martinook and Cain Franson are all capable offensively catalysts, and if given the opportunity on the power play they will make any team pay.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars head into tonight’s game with a three-game winning streak. They’ve won six of their last eight overall and are right back in the thick of things in the B.C. Division. Heading into tonight the Cougars trail Seattle by one point, Victoria by three points and Kelowna by four in the Western Conference standings.

Who’s Up Front;

The trio of Spencer Asuchak, Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg got the ball rolling offensively for the Cougars on Saturday in Spokane. Alex Forsberg and Spencer Asuchak both scored goals, while Asuchak and Troy Bourke each finished with two point games. These three will be front and center again tonight for the Cougars if they are to keep their winning ways going.

Who’s on D:

20-year-old defenceman Cody Carlson finds himself in a three-way tie for the team lead in scoring with 23 points in 33 games. Carlson and his defense partner Dan Gibb have been the epitome of consistent for the Cougars this season, and tonight without the likes of Martin Marincin, those two will be logging a ton of ice time against the Giants top guns.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley has started in eight straight games for the Cougars, and given how well he has played during that stretch he seems to be the favorite to get the call this weekend for the Cougars. Owsley heads into this weekend with a record of 11-16-0-1 and a save percentage of .898. His goals against average is currently sitting at 2.91. Devon Fordyce is Owsley’s backup and earned the Cougars a point against Vancouver in a shootout loss back on November 13th.

X-Factor:

With no Martin Marincin on the back-end a lot of ice-time will have to be made up by the rest of the Cougars blueline. In particular the likes of Jesse Forsberg and Josh Smith will be called upon to make the smart plays and provide the Cougars with consistent and physical defense. If the Cougars get a strong collective effort from their entire squad defensively, they’ll have every opportunity in the world to defeat the Vancouver Giants at home this evening.

Cats Host Teddy Bear and Toque Toss on Saturday.

2011-12-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are proud to support the Salvation Army and RCMP Victim Services with the Annual Teddy Bear Toque Toss this Saturday, December 17th when the Cougars take on the Vancouver Giants at the CN Centre.
December 17th is also Ugly Christmas Sweater night. Fans are encouraged to wear their ugliest holiday sweaters for the chance to win some great prizes courtesy of Booster Juice, Coast Inn of the North and Mr. Quick Lube & Oil.

The Teddy Bear and Toque Toss game has become one of the most popular nights during the Cougars season. When the Cougars score their first goal of the game, fans will have the opportunity to launch their Teddy Bear and Toque donations onto the ice. The donations will benefit the RCMP Victim Services Unit, the Salvation Army and other organizations in need over the holiday season. Stuffed dogs provided by Husky and Mohawk and teddy bears provided by Shaw will be available for purchase by cash donation on the concourse that evening; the cash donations will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Prince George.

In addition to the Salvation Army and RCMP Victim Services, the Prince George Minor Hockey Association, Wood Wheaton Supercentre and Save On Foods will be on hand to assist with the clean-up on the ice.

“Our Annual Teddy Bear Toque Toss is a great way to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends and gives our fans another opportunity to brighten the holidays for those in need,” said Cougars Vice President, Brandi Brodsky.

Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets at discounted group rates; for more information contact the Cougars office at 250-561-0783.

Connolly Cracks Team Canada's Roster.

2011-12-14T11:35:00.001-08:00

Prince George Cougars alumni forward Brett Connolly was named to Team Canada's 2012 World Junior Hockey Roster on Wednseday morning. Connolly will dawn the Maple Leaf for a second time at the World Juniors, having earned a silver medal with Canada last season in Buffalo, NY. Team Canada's quest for Gold begins on Boxing Day.

Cats Complete the Comeback!

2011-12-11T13:04:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars continue to find a way to win.

Saturday night in Spokane the Prince George Cougars erased a 3-0 third period defecit and defeated the Spokane Chiefs 4-3 in a shootout. Cody Carlson had the game tying goal on a third period power play and added the shootout winner to give the Cougars their third straight victory.

The Spokane Chiefs led 1-0 after one period of play. Jason Fram scored the ‘Teddy Bear’ goal for Spokane at 13:06 of the first. Fram fired a point-shot through traffic and the puck found it’s way through Drew Owsley.

Following a lengthy delay the period continued with neither team able to capitalize. The Prince George Cougars had their chances, but they missed a couple of nets, and Mac Engel stood tall and made some key stops for Spokane.

The second period belonged to Spokane. They held the Prince George Cougars just four shots on goal and added two more of their own. The first one came from Anthony Bardaro, who scored at 15:10 off a turnover in the defensive zone. Spokane added to the lead 1:13 later when Steven Kuhn deflected home a Tyler King point shot. The shots on goal were 19-9 after forty minutes of play.

Early in the third period the Prince George Cougars found some life. Alex Forsberg took a Dan Gibb pass and fired a shot past Mac Engel from the slot to give the Cougars their first goal of the game.

The Cats inched closer at 14:01 of the third when Jordan Tkatch banged home a Chase Witala rebound for his eighth of the season. The play started with Greg Fraser taking the puck wide on Chiefs defenceman Tyler King who lost his footing. Fraser found Witala who’s shot was stopped, but Tkatch put the rebound home.

Moments later the Spokane Chiefs were penalized four-minutes when Reid Gow high-sticked Troy Bourke. Bourke and the Cougars would make him pay. Bourke assisted on Cody Carlson’s power play equalizer, and the Prince George Cougars had stormed all the way back from a three-goal deficit.

The Cougars had another power play chance in overtime, but were unable to score. The closest the Cougars would come was during the final seconds of overtime when Spencer Asuchak hit the cross-bar on a shot from the left-wing.

65 minutes solved nothing and the Cougars headed to a shootout for a fourth time on the season.

Blake Gal gave Spokane an early shootout lead when he squeaked one past Drew Owsley. The Cougars quickly countered with a goal from Alex Forsberg and tied it up. Drew Owsley stopped the next attempts from Anthony Bardardo, Dominick Uher and Mitch Holmberg .

Troy Bourke and Chase Witala both came close but could not beat Mac Engel. Cody Carlson changed that on the Cougars fourth attempt of the shootout.

The Prince George Cougars won their third straight game, and sixth in their last eight. They finished the game one-for-five on the power play and killed off both penalties that they took against the Chiefs.

The Cougars record now sits at 12:19-0-2 and the Cougars remain in eighth place in the WHL’s Western Conference.

Up next for the Cougars – Two games at home against the Vancouver Giants on December 16th and 17th.

Cougars - Chiefs Preview.

2011-12-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars road trip continues tonight in Spokane, Washington. The Cougars and Spokane Chiefs meet for a second time this season. The Cougars posted a 5-4 victory in Spokane on November 26th, and will look to build off of last night’s 1-0 win in Seattle.

Overview:

The Spokane Chiefs are 14-9-2-2 through 27 games this season. The Chiefs are coming off a victory against Everett last night, and are 5-4-1-0 in their last 10 outings. Spokane currently sits third in the US Division behind Tri City and Portland.

Who’s Up Front:

The Spokane Chiefs are led offensively by 19-year-old Anthony Bardaro. Bardaro has 16 goals and leads the Chiefs with 33 points in 25 games. Bardaro scored once for Spokane in the last meeting between these teams. Bardaro is strong on the puck and has a quick release.

Who’s on D:

Spokane’s top defenseman Brendan Kitchton is attending Team Canada’s World Junior tryout and (barring anything unexpected) will not play for Spokane tonight. Kitchton has 29 points in 27 games for Spokane and was easily one of Spokane’s best players two weeks ago when these teams last met. But the Cougars don’t have a free ride by any means. Spokane still has a number of other quality blueliners like Reid Gow, Davis Vandane and Corbin Baldwin who can log a lot of key minutes for the Chiefs. Baldwin and Vandane really stood out two weeks ago.

Who’s in Goal:

An interesting decision for the Chiefs tonight. Two weeks ago these started Luke Lee-Knight who struggled against the Cougars surrendering four goals on just 10 shots faced. Maybe they give him the shot again tonight for a chance at redemption. Or maybe they go with Mac Engel who surrendered only one goal in relief against the Cougars on November 26th. Engel did play last night in Everett and made 23 saves in victory.

X-Factor:

92-born center Dominik Uher has tallied 19 points in 23 games so far this season for Spokane. Two weeks ago he played a tenacious, consistent game for Spokane. He’s strong at both ends of the ice, and provides a nice compliment offensively to the lies of Bardaro and Kitchton.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are eyeing their third victory in a row and their sixth in their last eight games. They head into tonight’s contest with a record of 11-19-0-2. They currently sit in eighth place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Who’s Up Front:

While no forwards scored for Prince George during last night’s 1-0 victory, they all played well collectively. The trio of Spencer Asuchak, Alex Forsberg and Troy Bourke were dominant through big stretches of the game, and had it not been for Calvin Pickard in goal, the above three could have had a much more successful night offensively.

Who’s on D:

Cody Carlson supplied the lone goal for the Prince George Cougars in last night’s victory. Carlson has scored three times on the power play this season, and his 22 points have him tied with Alex Forsberg for the team lead in scoring. Carlson has also contributed defensively as well. He’s continued to provide Dean Clark with solid minutes and timely shot-blocks.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley is on a roll right now for the Prince George Cougars. He earned a 24-save shutout in last night’s game, and he now leads the WHL with three shutouts on the year.

X-Factor:

When the Prince George Cougars score first, they win way more often than not. They have a record of 10-4-0-1 when they strike first and they’ll look to do so again tonight in Spokane. Historically Spokane has not been a kind facility to the Cougars, but scoring first should definitely help the Cougars keep things settled on the road. Tonight is Spokane’s Teddy Bear Toss night, which should also help provide some extra motivation for the Cougars.

Cats Blank T-Birds.

2011-12-10T04:05:00.001-08:00

Friday in Kent, the Prince George Cougars blanked the Seattle Thunderbirds 1-0. Cody Carlson scored the game’s lone goal and Drew Owsley stopped all 24 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season.

The Prince George Cougars grabbed momentum early. They outshot Seattle 14-9 in the first period and out-chanced them by a wide margin. Seattle goaltender Calvin Pickard was sharp making several tough saves to keep the game scoreless through 20 minutes of play.

The Cougars had a big territorial edge in the first, and were able to draw a late power play.

Early in the second the Cougars struck on the man-advantage when Cody Carlson fired a point-shot past Calvin Pickard to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. For Carlson it was his fourth of the season.

The Cougars kept coming, but Calvin Pickard kept the door shut for Seattle.

Tempers started to boil over in the second period. Campbell Elynuik and Jacob Doty had a spirited fight, and Greg Fraser and Kyle Verdino both dropped their gloves and were ready to go – But the linesmen stepped between the two of them and the fight was broken up before it even started. It was 1-0 for the Cougars through two periods of play and the Cougars were outshooting Seattle 27-13 after 40 minutes.

Prince George got into some penalty trouble in the third period. Campbell Elynuik was kicked out of the game for a boarding-major penalty, but Seattle was unable to capitalize. The Cats penalty-kill killed off all three penalties that they took while their power play went one-for-four.

Seattle had their moments in the third, as did the Cougars – But both Drew Owsley and Calvin Pickard made timely saves. A late penalty from Branden Trook was the final straw for Seattle who spen the remainder of the game short-handed.

With the victory the Cougars improve their road record to 8-10-0-1, and their overall record jumps to 11-19-0-2 through 32 games. The Cougars have won five of their last seven games and now sit alone in eighth place in the Western Conference standings.

The Cougars will look for their third straight victory on Saturday when they face the Spokane Chiefs on the road.

Friday Odds and Ends.

2011-12-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a mish-mash of thoughts as the Prince George Cougars head into action tonight with the Seattle Thunderbirds:

- It's great to see that the Prince George Cougars are finding the back of the net with a little more consistency. They've now gone seven consecutive games scoring three or more times. What's equally impressive is the fact that the Cougars have been getting their goals from all across the board. If the likes of Jordan Tkatch, Chase Witala and Greg Fraser can continue to supply secondary offense, it takes some of the opposition's focus away from Alex Forsberg, Troy Bourke and Spencer Asuchak.

- Drew Owsley has had a ton of success against the Seattle Thunderbirds over the course of his WHL career. Owsley has a 13-2-0-0 record against Seattle and was marvelous against the Thunderbirds back on November 25th. Congrats to Owsley for playing in his 150th regular season game on Wednesday against Portland.

- Special teams is a factor in most games, and tonight I'm expecting much the same. The Cougars head into tonight's game with a league-low 12.1% success rate on the man-advantage. The Cougars are right in the middle of the penalty-killing pack with a 78.4% success rate. The Cougars are ranked 11th on the PK and 22nd on the PP. The Seattle Thunderbirds come into tonight's game ranked 18th in penalty-kill (74.6%) and 14th on the power play (20.2%)

- The Cougars head into action tonight trailing Seattle by just a single point in the Western Conference standings. Seattle (11-14-0-1) have 23 points while the Cougars (10-19-0-2) have recorded 22. The Thunderbirds do hold five games in hand, which makes tonight's result that much more important for the Cougars who are also within four points of the Victoria Royals in the B.C. Division. Tonight the Royals are hosting Lethbridge.

- Classy move by Tampa Bay allowing Brett Connolly to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. He'll add instant offense and a ton of character to Canada's lineup.

We'll talk to you tonight from the broadcast booth in Kent!

Cougars - Thunderbirds Preview.

2011-12-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Seattle Thunderbirds will meet for the second time tonight at the Showare Center in Kent, Washington. These teams last met two weeks ago where the Cougars defeated Seattle 3-2 in a shootout. Only one point separates these teams in the standings, and a win for the Cougars tonight could see them back in the top eight of the WHL’s Western Conference.

Overview:

Though they have lost their last two games, the Seattle Thunderbirds are 5-4-0-1 in their last 10 games and they currently sit fourth in the US Division. The Thunderbirds are 11-14-0-1 on the year.

Who’s Up Front:

The Seattle Thunderbirds are led offensively by 20-year-old forward Burke Gallimore. Gallimore has 21 points through 26 games this season and leads the Thunderbirds with 14 goals on the season.

Who’s on D:

The Thunderbirds top point-producer from the back end is 16-year-old Shea Theodore. Theodore has 13 points through 23 games, and played a ton two weeks ago when these teams last met. Theodore spent a lot of time on the power play, and is a strong puck-mover and has a good shot.

Who’s in Goal:

The Seattle Thunderbirds will likely be led to battle by 19-year-old netminder Calvin Pickard. Pickard is 11-11-0-1 this season through 23 games and has a save percentage of .908 and a goals against average of 3.60. Pickard played well for Seattle two weeks ago against the Cougars, and will no doubt be ready to go tonight if called upon. Pickards backup is 17-year-old Daniel Cotton.

X-Factor:

1992-born forward Marcel Noebels is a fun player to watch. He combines size (6’3”) with skill (20 points) and is a big-time threat on the power play. Noebels leads the Thunderbirds with four power play goals this season, and he’ll need to be contained by the Cougars tonight.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are coming off a spirited 4-3 overtime victory over the Portland Winterhawks. The Cougars are 4-6 in their last 10 games, but have won four of their last six games overall. The Cougars are 1-0-0-0 this season so far against Seattle.

Who’s Up Front:

Cougars forward Greg Fraser record his first ever three-point game in the WHL on Wednesday against Portland. Fraser led the Cougars with two goals, including the OT winner. Fraser has a team-high 10 goals this season and has recently found some chemistry alongside Chase Witala who also had three points in Wednesday’s victory.

Who’s on D:

17-year-old josh Smith collected his first ever WHL goal in Wednesday’s game with Portland. Smith has always had some offensive upside, and it’s great to see him get the first goal under his belt. Smith is physical, quick and is only going to get better for the Cougars with time.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley is red hot right now for the Prince George Cougars. He made 79 saves in two games earlier this week against Portland, and has been one of the Cougars most consistent players through 31 games this season. Owsley has 13-2-0-0 lifetime against Seattle which definitely gives him and the Cougars some confidence heading into tonight’s game.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars scored seven goals in two games earlier this week with Portland. The strange thing was that the trio of Alex Forsberg, Troy Bourke and Spencer Asuchak did not factor in to any of those goals. It certainly wasn’t for a lack of chances or opportunity, and those three will no doubt be front and center in the Cougars attack during tonight’s game.

Cats Sink Winterhawks in O.T.

2011-12-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night in Prince George the Prince George Cougars beat the Portland Winterhawks 4-3 in overtime. Greg Fraser scored the OT winner at 2:55 of overtime to lead the Cougars to victory. Fraser had two goals and an assist while Chase Witala had a goal and two assists. Cougars netminder Drew Owsley made 39 saves to record his ninth victory of the season.

The first period ended with a zero-zero score, but the Cougars have their penalty-kill and goaltender to thank for that. The Winterhawks outshot Prince George 17-3 and had three power play chances but were unable to capitalize.

Early in the second period the Prince George Cougars woke up in a big way. Greg Fraser’s initial shot was stopped by Brendan Burke, but the rebound came free for Josh Smith who potted his first ever WHL goal to give the Cougars the 1-0 lead.

The lead did not last long as Brad Ross tied it at 6:34 unassisted as he intercepted a Cougars clearing attempt, and beat Drew Owsley up high.

The Cougars rebounded with two unanswered goals. The first came via Chase Witala who knocked home a Dan Gibb rebound past Brendan Burke for his second of the season.

The Cats shortly followed with a goal from Greg Fraser and late in the period they led 3-1.

The Cougars were given a power play in the final two minutes of the second, but it was Portland who stole momentum. After a highly controversial non-call on a Winterhawk collision with Cody Carlson behind the play, Ty Rattie stole the puck and raced in alone on Drew Owsley. Rattie made no mistake for his 32nd of the season.

The Cougars took a 3-2 lead into the third period.

The Winterhawks quickly got back even in the third when Nicolas Petan buried his seventh off a pass from Sven Bartschi at 4:13 of the frame.

From there, it was all Drew Owsley. The Prince George netminder made several highlight reel stops in the third period, and kept the game tied with time winding down.

Halfway through overtime the Cougars raced up ice on a two-on-one. Martin Marincin led the rush up the right wing and then he slid a pass to Greg Fraser who made no mistake for his second of the night, and team leading 10th of the season.

It was the first victory of the season for the Cougars in overtime, and third of the season at CN Centre. Both the Cougars and Winterhawks went zero-for-four on the power play, and the Winterhawks outshot the Cougars 42-24 through 63 minutes of play.

The win improves the Cougars record to 10-19-0-2 and moves them within one point of the Seattle Thunderbirds for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Fittingly the Cougars and Thunderbirds are squaring off on Friday in Kent, Washington.

Cougars - Winterhawks Preview (Dec 7)

2011-12-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks will duke it out again tonight at CN Centre. Last night Portland escaped with a 5-3 victory thanks to a game-winning goal that came with just 1:25 left on the clock. A great effort from the Cougars, but a bad result none the less, and the Cougars will look to make amends tonight.

Overview:

Mike Johnston’s Portland Winterhawks are 20-9-1-1 through 31 games and are currently ranked second in the US division behind only the Tri City Americans. The Winterhawks have won five straight games overall.

Who’s Up Front:

The Portland Winterhawks received more than enough offense from 18-year-old forward Ty Rattie in last night’s game. Rattie scored three goals and has now registered 31 goals in 30 games. The duo of Ty Rattie and Sven Bartschi may be the most lethal twosome in the entire league, and they put their skills on full display last night.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the player that stood out the most in last night’s game was 17-year-old Derrick Pouliot. Pouliot is in his draft-year and is being touted by many as being an early first-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Pouliot has great vision, strong patience, and does not panic with the puck at all.

Who’s in Goal:

In goal the Winterhawks are led by 19-year-old Mac Carruth. Carruth has played in 29 games this season and has posted a record of 19-8-1-0. He stopped 35 of the 38 shots he faced last night for the victory. Carruth is very confident playing the puck and to his credit made some very timely saves in all three periods last night. Mike Johnston may decide to go with backup 16-year-old Brendan Burke, who will no doubt be ready if called upon tonight.

X-Factor:

The Portland Winterhawks are led by both Sven Bartschi and Ty Rattie, but do not for one moment underestimate Toronto Maple Leaf’s prospect Brad Ross. Ross has scored 18 goals this season and is third on the team in scoring with 36 points in 31 games. Ross scored the empty-netter in last night’s game but added an assist, and was dangerous quite often last night.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are looking to redeem themselves after last night’s tough setback. Dean Clark’s team have lost their last four games at home, and are 2-9-0-1 at CN Centre this season.

Who’s Up Front:

The Prince George Cougars were led offensively by the trio of Jordan Tkatch, Jarrett Fontaine and Austin Daae in last night’s game. Tkatch was credited with two goals while Daae and Fontaine both got on the score-sheet with assists. Tkatch has now scored seven goals this season, he along with all of the other 16-year-olds on the roster are making tremendous strides are both ends of the ice.

Who’s on D:

Cody Carlson extended his point-scoring streak to nine games last night with an assist on the first Cougars goal. Carlson is second overall in team scoring with 21 points through 30 games, and is one of just three players (the others being Alex Forsberg and Greg Fraser) who have played in every single game this season for the Cougars.

Who’s in Goal:

The Prince George Cougars got great goaltending last night from Drew Owsley who stopped 40 of the 44 shots he faced. Owsley didn’t have much of a chance on any of the goals that beat him last night, and a similar effort from Owsley should give the Cougars a great chance to win in tonight’s game. Owsley is 11-3-1-0 lifetime against Portland.

X-Factor:

The Cougars are going to need the trio of Troy Bourke, Alex Forsberg and Spencer Asuchak to provide some offense tonight for the Cougars. It’s great that the Cougars are receiving balanced scoring from all of their lines, but they’re going to need their top point producers to do just that and lead the charge. A big night from the Cougars big line will go a long way for the Cougars who are looking for their 10th victory of the season.

Cougars Drop a Heartbreaker to Portland.

2011-12-06T22:58:00.001-08:00

Tuesday night in Prince George, the Prince George Cougars lost a heart breaker. Nicolas Petan scored a goal with 1:25 left in the third period to break a 3-3 tie, and the Portland Winterhawks escaped with a 5-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. Jordan Tkatch scored twice for the Cougars, while Ty Rattie notched a hat-trick for Portland in the victory.

The Winterhawks led 2-0 after the first period thanks to two unanswered goals from Ty Rattie. Rattie’s first came on a power play at the 12:52 mark of the first period. Rattie grabbed a loose puck at the side of the goal and knocked it home for his 29th of the season.

Less than four minutes later Rattie struck again. This time his linemate Sven Bartschi did most of the grunt work as he deked his way through a number of defenders and found Rattie at the other side of the goal for his second of the game and 30th of the year. Portland outshot Prince George 17-10 after one.

The Cougars found some life in the second period thanks to 16-year-old sniper Jordan Tkatch. Tkatch received a breakaway pass from Jarrett Fontaine and made no mistake on a back-hand deke. For Tkatch it was his sixth of the season and his first goal at CN Centre this season. Less than four minutes later Jordan Tkatch struck again on the power play. Right off the face-off the puck came free to Tkatch who wired it past Mac Carruth for his seventh of the season and second of the night.

Early in the third period the Cougars took their first lead of the game when Martin Marincin skated the puck into the slot from the right wing and flipped one past Mac Carruth for his third of the season.

The Cougars lead would be short-lived as Ty Rattie buried his third of the game thanks to a sly pass from Nicolas Petan along the right wing.

The game winded down with both teams trading chances. Cougars goaltender Drew Owsley came up big multiple times down the stretch.

Late in the third with less than two minutes to go, the Cougars won a faceoff in their own zone. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the puck was knocked off of Dan Gibb’s stick in front of the goal. Sven Bartschi found the puck and slid it back-door to the waiting Nicolas Petan who scored his sixth of the season to give Portland the 4-3 lead.

Seconds later the Cougars had a great chance to tie it, but Mac Carruth made a bit stop off of Shane Pilling, and Brad Ross then iced the game with an empty-netter.

Both teams finished one-for-two on the power play while Winterhawks outshot the Cougars 45-38. For the Cougars it was their seventh one-goal loss at home this season. The Cougars record falls to 9-19-0-2 while Portland improves their mark to 20-9-1-1.

The Cougars get a chance at redemption tomorrow night when they once again host Portland at 7:00.

Dec 6th Photos vs. Portland

2011-12-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

*All Photos By: Julie Larson

Alex Forsberg Pursues the Puck

Another Strong Game from Campbell Elynuik

Martin Marincin Would Later Score in the Third Period.

Drew Owsley made 40 Saves.

Cougars - Winterhawks Preview.

2011-12-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

After two weeks and five games on the road, the Prince George Cougars return to CN Centre tonight for the first of two consecutive games with the Portland Winterhawks. Last season the Cougars were winless in four games with Portland. The Cats though have won three of their last four overall and head into tonight just three points back of Seattle for eighth in the Western Conference.

Overview:

Mike Johnston’s Portland Winterhawks are 19-9-1-1 through 30 games and are currently ranked second in the US division behind only the Tri City Americans. The Winterhawks are 8-2-0-0 in their last 10 games, and have won four in a row.

Who’s Up Front:

The Portland Winterhawks have many explosive players up front, but none more explosive than St. Louis Blues prospect Ty Rattie. Rattie has 28 goals in 29 games this season and has tallied 55 points on the season. Rattie was named the Husky WHL Player of the Month for November.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Winterhawks are led by two very promising players. 18-year-old Joseph Morrow and 17-year-old Derrick Pouliot. Morrow has 26 points through 24 games and is fourth in the Western Hockey League for points among defenceman. Of Morrow’s 26 points, nine of them are goals.

Who’s in Goal:

In goal the Winterhawks are led by 19-year-old Mac Carruth. Carruth has played in 28 games this season and has posted a record of 18-8-1-0. Carruth has a save percentage of .907 and a goals against of 2.86. Carruth is backed up by 16-year-old Brendan Burke.

X-Factor:

While Ty Rattie’s 55 points in 28 games is an impressive stat, one can’t overlook the numbers that 19-year-old forward Sven Bartschi has put up. In just 21 games, Bartschi has tallied 12 goals and 37 assists for 49 points.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s team has won three of their last four games and are 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games overall. The Cougars were winners in their last game – A 3-2 victory against the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday.

Who’s Up Front:

The Prince George Cougars will once again look to the trio of Troy Bourke, Alex Forsberg and Spencer Asuchak to lead the way offensively tonight. Bourke has registered six points in his last five games, while Alex Forsberg is coming off a two-goal night in Kelowna Saturday. These three are continuing to find success together, and they’ll need to do their best to equal if not better the output put forth by Portland’s top scorers.

Who’s on D:

The Prince George Cougars have proven this season that they can keep top scorers in check. Keep in mind that the Tri City Americans (top team in the US division) scored a total of two goals in two games earlier this season in Prince George. The Cougars will need a similar performance defensively from everybody. The Cougars will need to minimize the Winterhawks opportunities. They’ve done it before, and are certainly capable of doing so again.

Who’s in Goal:

The Prince George Cougars have a wild-card up their sleeve, and the wild card is Drew Owsley. Owsley is no stranger to the Portland Winterhawks, and has a career record of 11-2-1-0 against them. If the Prince George Cougars are going to beat Portland, Drew Owsley is going to be a huge piece of the puzzle. He’s done it before, and could very well do so again tonight and tomorrow provided he gets the right kind of help.

X-Factor:

The Cougars have won three of their last four games. A common trend in those three victories was an early goal. When the Cougars score first they are 8-4-0-1 on the season. The Cougars will certainly have their hands full this week with Portland, but they can make life much easier on themselves by scoring first and getting some confidence going.

Cougars Edge Rockets in Kelowna.

2011-12-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday in Kelowna the Prince George Cougars defeated the Kelowna Rockets 3-2. Martin Marincin had two assists, and Campbell Elynuik, Cody Carlson and Alex Forsberg supplied for the offense en route to the Cougars ninth win of the season.

The Cats drew first blood early in the first. Campbell Elynuik grabbed a loose puck in the middle of the ice and skated down the right wing. He fired a shot on Adam Brown that squeezed it’s way through to give Prince George a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars then went to a double-minor power play when Chase Witala was high-sticked by Mitch Chapman, but were unable to capitalize.

The Rockets tied the score at one at 17:23 of the period. Brett Bulmer out-waited the Cougars defense and Drew Owsley and buried his ninth of the year.

The Cougars and Rockets were tied 1-1 after 20 minutes of play and the Cougars outshot Kelowna 9-3.

The Rockets went up 2-1 at 6:25 of the second period when Carter Rigby beat Drew Owsley with a wrist-shot off the left-wing.

The Cougars came close to tying it up mid-way through the second when Cody Carlson left the penalty-box and was sprung on a breakaway. Carlson was denied by Adam Brown point-blank and the Rockets held the lead.

Late in the period, the Cougars went to the power play, and Cody Carlson got a measure of revenge on Adam Brown. Troy Bourke slid a pass across the ice to Carlson who one-timed it home for his third of the season. Carlson’s goal helped increase his scoring streak to eight games.

The Cougars and Rockets were tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, and the Cougars were outshooting Kelowna 20-14.

Early in the third the Cougars took their second and last lead of the game. Adam Brown stopped Martin Marincin’s initial shot, but Alex Forsberg grabbed the rebound and back-handed one by Adam Brown to give the Cats the lead.

The Cougars came close a number of times to increasing their lead, but to his credit, Adam Brown played strongly for Kelowna down the stretch.

The Rockets had a few opportunities themselves, but Drew Owsley stood his ground and was flawless when it mattered most. The Cougars outshot Kelowna 12-4 in the final period and earned the victory.

The Cougars finished the game one-for-five on the power play and outshot Kelowna 31-18 overall. For the Cougars it was their third win in their last five games, and they moved within three points of eighth place Seattle in the WHL’s Western Conference.

Next up for the Cougars – Two home games this week against Portland on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Odds and Ends.

2011-12-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are less than six hours away from their fifth meeting of the season with the Kelowna Rockets. The Rockets/Cougars rivalry has not been a friendly one this season for the Cats who are 0-4-0-0 against Kelowna so far.

That being said I think that there are many reasons for the Cougars to feel optimistic heading into tonight's game and beyond.

- The One thing that you can't take away from the Prince George Cougars this season is their compete level and work ethic. It's one thing to lose games when there is a clear lapse in effort. The Cougars have had very few (if any) losses this season stemming from a poor effort. This team knows that if they want to win games they will need to out-work the opposition, and I have no trouble saying that the Cougars have quite often out-worked teams this season but have not been rewarded with a victory.

- Even though the record is what it is, you cannot deny the fact that Dean Clark and Jason Becker are helping these players develop more and more by the day. Nowhere is this more evident than with the six 16-year-olds that are on the roster. I could go on and on (positively) about Jake Mykitiuk, Jarrett Fontaine, Michael Mylchreest, Chase Witala, Jordan Tkatch and Alex Forsberg, but I'll save those opinions for a later piece. The bottom line is that not only are these kids going to be a vital part of this team's future, but they are all contributing members of this team now. I know it's easy to overlook these things when the record is what it is, but from a pure hockey fan's stand-point it has been a treat watching these kids progress on a nightly basis.

- In recent games, Cougars captain Jesse Forsberg has caught my eye (and many others) for all of the right reasons. He was a +2 last night, and continually made smart decisions with the puck and with his body. He is the physical and emotional leader for this team, and I think we are truly starting to witness a healthy and inspired Jesse Forsberg. Tonight in Kelowna I'm expecting Jesse Forsberg to do everything and anything possible to lead his team to victory. That's just the kind of guy he is, and i can't imagine NHL scouts not taking notice.

- What a treat it is to watch Alex Forsberg, Troy Bourke and Spencer Asuchak play together on a nightly basis. These three combined for seven points in last night's game, and they are definitely a threat everytime they are on the ice together. Troy Bourke has been especially impressive as of late. He is incredibly patient with the puck, and knows where to go on the ice to find the most success. Add Alex Forsberg's incredible vision and Spencer Asuchak's size and experience and you've got the makings for a truly dynamic line in this league. If the Cats want to earn two points in Kelowna, it will likely be these three carrying the load offensively.

Some keys for the Cougars tonight:

- Discipline. The Rockets were three-for-four on the power play when these teams last met on Wednesday, November 23rd.

- Blocking Shots. Two goals last night from Kamloops were scored because of point-shots that found their way through traffic. One was tipped while the other went cleanly in. If the Cougars can step up their shot-blocking efforts they'll give themselves a ton of room for success. It will also greatly assist Drew Owsley who usually stops everything he sees.

- Hit the Net. The Cougars had several great chances to score in last night's game that were nullified by the fact that they couldn't hit the net on their opportunities.

- Scoring First. When the Cougars score the first goal they are 7-4-0-1 this season. By contrast, the Cougars have a record of 1-14-0-1 when the opposition scores first. I know that stats aren't everything, but sometimes they can be very telling. The fact is that any hockey team at any level will feel much more confident if they are able to strike first - Especially on the road.

Tonight's game can be heard live on 99.3 The Drive starting at 6:45.

Talk to you then!

DO

2011-12-03T11:40:00.001-08:00

Tonight the Prince George Cougars and Kelowna Rockets will lock horns for the fifth time this season. The Cougars are coming off a 5-4 set-back to the Kamloops Blazers, and are seeking their first victory of the season against the Kelowna Rockets.

Overview:

Ryan Huska’s Kelowna Rockets are currently ranked fourth in the B.C. Division with an 11-13-2-1 record. The Rockets are 6-3-0-1 in their last 10 games but are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Victoria Royals last night.

Who’s Up Front:

Shane McColgan continues to produce steady offense for Kelowna. In 26 games he has seven goals and 30 points. McColgan has great vision and is very strong on the puck.

Who’s on D:

Damon Severson continues to lead the way offensively for Kelowna from the back end. Through 27 games, Severson has three goals and 16 assists for 19 points. His 19 points put him third overall in team scoring.

Who’s in Goal:

20-year-old Adam Brown has started in all four games against Prince George this season and has beaten them in all four games. Jordan Cooke played last night for Kelowna which likely means that Brown will get the call tonight. This season Brown is 9-11 through 20 starts. He’s got a goals against average of 3.70 and a save percentage of .880.

X-Factor:

Colton Scissons has scored goals in five of his last six games, and leads the Kelowna Rockets with 15 goals on the year. He’s only two goals away from matching his goal total from last season. He has been especially dangerous on the power play scoring eight of his 15 goals on the man-advantage.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are coming off a difficult 5-4 loss to the Kamloops Blazers. The Cougars worked very hard, and played a strong game, but did not end up on the right side of the scoreboard. Tonight the Cougars look to snap a lengthy losing skid against Kelowna.

Who’s Up Front:

The trio of Alex Forsberg, Spencer Asuchak and Troy Bourke were outstanding in last night’s game. They combined for seven points, and both Forsberg and Bourke had three-point games. Bourke in particular has really stepped up his game lately.

Who’s on D:

The duo of Dan Gibb and Cody Carlson will likely be busy again tonight as they get set to face off with Kelowna. Carlson is second on the team in scoring with 19 points, while Gibb continues to earn praises from the coaching staff for his dependable, two-way play.

Who’s in Goal:

With the status of Devon Fordyce up in the air for tonight, I’d expect to see Drew Owsley get the call again for Prince George. Last night Owsley faced 32 shots and stopped 27 of them. The Cougars will need Owsley to bring a similar effort that saw him record back-to-back victories in Seattle and Spokane.

X-Factor:

Cougars defenceman Martin Marincin is on the verge of breaking out. Marincin has had numerous chances in recent weeks but has not been able to capitalize. When Martin Marincin is on his game there are few defenceman in this league (if any) that are more dynamic and confident. A strong outing from Marincin tonight should give the Cougars a great shot at winning in Kelowna.

Blazers Squeak By Cougars 5-4.

2011-12-03T01:31:00.000-08:00

Friday in Kamloops the Prince George Cougars fell 5-4 to the Kamloops Blazers. Brendan Ranford’s power play marker at 13:11 of the third proved to be the difference as the Cougars fell a single goal short.

Kamloops opened the scoring at 12:54 of the opening period when Tim Bozon threw a long wrist-shot on goal that beat Drew Owsley.

Once the teddy bears were cleaned off the ice, the Prince George Cougars took momentum and quickly tied the score. Alex Forsberg knocked home his fifth of the season off a Troy Bourke rebound, which tied the score at one.

Kamloops quickly countered with a goal from Chase Souto. Souto walked in from the left wing and slid a low shot into the net to give the Blazers a 2-1 through 20 minutes.

Early in the second the Cougars tied it up. Jake Mykitiuk went hard to the net and re-directed a Cody Carlson point-shot past Cam Lanigan to even the score at two.

The Cougars were then given two straight power plays but were unable to get the puck past Cam Lanigan. Spencer Asuchak had the best chance of the period, but Lanigan turned him aside.

At the other end Drew Owsley made a terrific save off of Matthew Needham to keep the game locked at two.

Late in the second period the Cougars were short-handed for nearly four full minutes when Linden Springer was penalized twice for slashing. Kamloops struck late in the second penalty when Matthew Needham tipped home a Bronson Maschmeyer shot to make it 3-2.

The Cougars wasted no time tying the game up in the third. Spencer Asuchak received a Troy Bourke pass off a two-on-one and out-waited Cam Lanigan for his eighth goal of the season.

But again the Kamloops Blazers had an answer. Less than two minutes later Tyler Bell scored his first of the season from the left-point and for a fourth time in the game, Kamloops had the lead.

Brendan Ranford padded the lead to 5-3 when he re-directed a Matthew Needham pass by Drew Owsley. Ranford’s goal came on the power play.

The Cougars drew within one on a power play tally of their own. Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg connected again, this time with Troy Bourke pulling the trigger for his eighth goal of the season.

Campbell Elynuik nearly tied it on the very next shift, but Cam Lanigan made a sprawling pad-save.

The Cougars continued to press, but were unable to beat Lanigan one last time, and the Blazers skated to victory.

The Cougars were outshot 32-29 and finished one-for-three on the power play.

Afterwards, Cougars head-coach Dean Clark had many complimentary things to say about his team’s effort, but he brought up a lack of discipline as the main downfall of his team.

Cody Carlson kept his point-streak going and has now registered a point in seven straight games.

The Cougars are back at it tomorrow (Saturday) night in Kelowna. It’ll be the fifth meeting of the season between the Cougars and the Rockets.

Teddy Bear Toss Info.

2011-12-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are proud to support the Salvation Army and RCMP Victim Services with the Annual Teddy Bear Toque Toss on Saturday, December 17th when the Cougars take on the Vancouver Giants at the CN Centre. December 17th is also Ugly Christmas Sweater night. Fans are encouraged to wear their ugliest holiday sweaters for the chance to win some great prizes courtesy of our sponsors.

The Teddy Bear and Toque Toss game has become one of the most popular nights during the Cougars season. When the Cougars score their first goal of the game, fans will have the opportunity to launch their Teddy Bear and Toque donations onto the ice. The donations will benefit the RCMP Victim Services Unit, the Salvation Army and other organizations in need over the holiday season. Stuffed dogs provided by Husky and Mohawk and teddy bears provided by Shaw will be available for purchase by cash donation on the concourse that evening; the cash donations will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Prince George.

The Prince George Minor Hockey Association, Wood Wheaton Supercentre and Save On Foods will be on hand to assist with the clean-up on the ice.

“Our Annual Teddy Bear Toque Toss is a great way to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends and gives our fans another opportunity to brighten the holidays for those in need,” said Cougars Vice President, Brandi Brodsky.

Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets at discounted group rates; for more information contact the Cougars office at 250-561-0783.

Cougars - Blazers Preview.

2011-12-01T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers are set to meet up for the fifth time this season. So far each team has managed two victories with each team posting one shutout. The Cougars took the last meeting 3-1 back on Saturday, November 5th.

Overview:

The Kamloops Blazers are winners of four straight games and currently ranked first in the B.C. Division. The Blazers have surrendered just 73 goals on the season which is third best overall in the Western Hockey League.

Who’s Up Front:

Offensively the Kamloops Blazers are led by 18-year-old forward Colin Smith. Through 26 games Smith has recorded 29 points, including a team high 14 goals. Smith is a +13 on the year and is second on the team in plus-minus.

Who’s on D:

Austin Madaisky leads the charge from the back-end for the Kamloops Blazers. Through 26 games, Madaisky has 17 points and leads all Blazers defenceman in goal-scoring with four.

Who’s in Goal:

The Kamloops Blazers have zero worries in goal thanks to the two-headed monster that is Cam Lanigan and Cole Cheveldave. Cheveldave is 11-3-1-0 while Lanigan is 6-3-0-0. Regardless of who gets the call in goal, Guy Charron’s team has an equal chance to win.

X-Factor:

Kamloops captain Chase Schaber continues to provide the Kamloops Blazers with consistent and timely offense. Schaber has 25 points through 26 games and leads the Kamloops Blazers with six power play goals on the year. Keeping Schaber and the rest of his linemates in check will be of the utmost importance for the Prince George Cougars.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars wrapped up the month of November 4-6-0-1 and head into this weekend trailing the Seattle Thunderbirds by five points in the Western Conference standings. The Cats have won two straight games, and are currently 2-1 on their five-game road-swing.

Who’s Up Front:

Nobody on the Cougars is hotter right now than 19-year-old forward Charles Inglis. Inglis has a six-game point streak going and has scored goals in four consecutive games. Inglis has managed 16 points through 15 games this season and has helped spark the Cougars offense.

Who’s on D:

Cougars captain Jesse Forsberg is coming off perhaps his best game of the season for Prince George. Forsberg had an assist, and logged a ton of key minutes against the Spokane Chiefs during the Cougars 5-4 victory on Saturday. Forsberg is starting to play with some more offensive confidence, and is always a menacing physical threat whenever he’s out there.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley has won his last two starts and was very good in both games. Owsley made a ton of timely saves this past weekend, and will no doubt be called upon to do the same this weekend against Kamloops and (possibly) Kelowna on Saturday. Owsley has proven this season that he can steal victories for his team and he may need to on Friday. Owsley has a 1-2 record this season against Kamloops.

X-Factor:

16-year-old forward Alex Forsberg continues to lead the charge offensively for the Cougars. Heading into this weekend Forsberg is tied for the team lead in points with 17, and leads all Cougars scorers with 10 power play points. Forsberg has managed two points through four games this season against Kamloops. Forsberg and his linemates Troy Bourke and Spencer Asuchak are always a threat to score, and a big weekend from them will go along way to help the Cougars in Kamloops on Friday.

Dropping the Gloves - Dan Gibb

2011-12-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

Springer Gaining Confidence in WHL.

2011-11-29T15:48:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars wrapped up the month of November on a high note defeating the Spokane Chiefs 5-4. It was a big victory in many respects for the Cougars, and it’s a game that rookie Linden Springer won’t soon forget.

The Lloydminster product scored his first ever WHL goal in Spokane - A goal that proved to be the game-winner.

“It definitely helped my confidence,” said Springer after Saturday’s win. “I’m just happy that I could help the team win.”

Since the mid-point of November, Head Coach Dean Clark has used both Linden Springer and Shane Pilling (both defencemen by trade) as forwards. Pilling has thrived on a line with Charles Inglis and Greg Fraser, while Springer has found success playing alongside Jordan Tkatch and Jarrett Fontaine.

“He’s doing his job. He’s mixing it up,” said Prince George Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “He plays the type of game that makes opposing teams unhappy.”

Springer has not shied away from the rough stuff, and heading into this week Springer has recorded five-fighting majors, which is second on the team behind only Campbell Elynuik.

Springer’s development was a definite bright spot for the Cougars during the month of November, and both Springer and the Cougars hope that his development continues throughout the 2011-2012 campaign.

Cats Top the Chiefs in Spokane.

2011-11-27T11:19:00.001-08:00

Saturday in Spokane, the Prince George Cougars grabbed their second straight victory with a 5-4 decision over the Spokane Chiefs. The Cougars had five different goal scorers including Linden Springer who’s first ever Western Hockey League goal proved to be the game-winner.

The Cougars got the ball rolling early in the first when Charles Inglis pounced on a Spokane giveaway, and wired a shot by Luke Lee-Knight to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

Spokane quickly tied it when Marek Kalus knocked a rebound by Drew Owsley for his sixth of the campaign.

The Chiefs took a 2-1 lead at 8:39 when Austin Bardaro redirected a Brenden Kitchton point-shot past Owsley, but there lead would be short-lived.

21 seconds later the Prince George Cougars tied it when Greg Fraser converted on an odd-man rush. Charles Inglis and Jesse Forsberg started the play and Greg Fraser finished it at the left-wing side for his eighth goal of the season.

It was tied 2-2 after 20 minutes, but it could have been worse had it not been for some money saves from Drew Owsley. Spokane outshot the Cougars 14-5 in the first frame.

Early in the second the Cougars took the lead again when Troy Bourke finished a Spencer Asuchak rebound. The goal came just 19 seconds into the period.

Once again it didn’t last long. The Cougars were given a power play but it was Spokane who took advantage short-handed. Blake Gal was sprung on a short-handed breakaway, and he finished on the back-hand to tie the score at three.

Once more the Cougars responded well. Campbell Elynuik won a battle along the left-boards and threw a shot on goal. The shot foundi t’s way through Luke Lee-Knight to give the Cats a 4-3 advantage. That goal spelt the end of the line for lee-Knight who was pulled in favor of Mac Engel. Lee-Knight surrendered four goals on 10 shots faced.

The Cougars managed nine shots on goal in the second frame and took a 4-3 lead into the third.

The Cougars resiliency was tested early in the third when Spokane scored just 10 seconds in on a power play. Dominick Uher raced down the left-wing and fired a slap-shot on goal. The puck squeezed through Drew Owsley and the score was tied.

Again, the Cougars countered quickly. This time it was a combination of Dan Gibb and Linden Springer who supplied the offense. Dan Gibb found himself behind the Spokane goal eluding the checks of the defense. Gibb wrapped the puck around the net and threw I out front where Linden Springer was waiting to knock it home for his first ever Western Hockey League goal.

Drew Owsley stood his ground from then on out and finished with 26 saves on 30 shots faced. The Cougars finished zero-for-four on the power play while Spokane went one-for-four on their opportunities. The Cougars were outshot 30-17.

Next up for the Cougars, a meeting with the Kamloops Blazers in Kamloops on Friday, December 2nd.

Cougars - Chiefs Preview.

2011-11-26T11:41:00.001-08:00

The road trip continues for the Prince George Cougars tonight in Spokane, Washington. For the first time this season the Prince George Cougars will face the Spokane Chiefs. Last season Spokane were 4-0-0-0 against the Cougars.

Overview:

The Spokane Chiefs were in action yesterday in Portland and they lost 5-3. Overall the Chiefs are 4-4-1-1 in their last 10 games and are ranked third in the U.S. Division behind Tri City and Portland.

Who’s Up Front:

The Spokane Chiefs are led offensively by 19-year-old center Anthony Bardaro. Bardaro has tallied 13 times and has added 12 assists for 25 points this season. Bardaro has scored eight of his 13 goals on the power play and the Cougars will need to be mindful of that statistic.

Who’s on D:

19-year-old defenceman Brendan Kichton is a real game-breaker. He has 17 points through 20 games, and lots a lot of key minutes for the Spokane Chiefs. Kichton recently represented the WHL at the Subway Super Series, and could be a potential candidate for Canada at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.

Who’s in Goal:

18-year-old Mac Engel was the starting goaltender for Spokane in yesterday’s matchup with the Portland Winterhawks. Engel has played in 17 games this season for Spokane and has a record of 9-6-0-1 in that span. His backup is Luke Lee-Knight. Lee-Knight has only played in four games this season, but is 2-0-0-1 with a goals-against average of under two and a save percentage of .911.

X-Factor:

20-year-old forward Darren Kramer can beat you in a lot of different ways. He can beat you offensively (nine goals) or he can let his fists do the talking.Kramer has 68 penalty-minutes this season, and has 306 last season, and 374 minutes the year before. The Cougars may have to answer the bell against Kramer, and they have several willing combatants who have not backed down yet from a challenge.

The Prince George Cougars snapped a six-game losing streak last night with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Cougars head into tonight’s game with a record of 7-17-0-2 and they are five points back of both Seattle and Kelowna in the Western Conference standings.

Who’s Up Front:

Greg Fraser’s strong November continued last night with his seventh goal of the season. Fraser has four goals this month, and is thriving on a line with Charles Inglis and (recently) Shane Pilling. Fraser is starting to do more of the little things right and it’s leading to more production and success. He’ll have to have another strong game tonight for the Cats to find success.

Who’s on D:

Cody Carlson continues to put up points this season. Thanks to Carlson’s assist last night, he’s now got a five-game point streak going and is now tied for the team lead in scoring with Alex Forsberg (16 points). Carlson has also been a reliable soldier defensively for Dean Clark and I’d expect nothing different tonight against Spokane.

Who’s in Goal:

After 32 saves on 34 shots faced last night against Seattle Drew Owsley is likely the favourite to get the start tonight against Spokane. Owsley was brilliant last night against Seattle and he’ll likely need to put forth a similar performance to give the Cougars their best chance at victory.

X-Factor:

The X-Factor for tonight’s game is not an individual but rather a team concept. The Prince George Cougars are playing their third game in four nights and have a chance to really put themselves back into the thick of things with a win in Spokane. In order to do that the Cougars will need to avoid the little ‘mistakes’ that have crept up in recent games. They’ll need to stay disciplined, avoid bad pinches and make smart decisions with the puck. If they do that the Cougars could very well be driving back to Prince George having earned four of six points possible points this week.

Cougars Take Down Thunderbirds 3-2 in Shootout.

2011-11-26T03:56:00.000-08:00

Friday night in Seattle the Prince George Cougars snapped their six-game losing skid with a 3-2 shootout victory in Seattle. Charles Inglis scored with 38 seconds left jin regulation to tie it, and also scored in the shootout to help lift the Cougars to victory. Drew Owsley continued his mastery of the Seattle Thunderbirds by stopping 32 of the 34 shots he faced, plus all three shootout attempts.

The Cougars opened the scoring just 55 seconds into the game. Seattle won a faceoff in their own zone, but Greg Fraser grabbed a loose puck at the side of the net, and shoveled it underneath Calvin Pickard to give the Cats a 1-0 lead. For Fraser it was his seventh of the season.

The first period was a back-and-forth stanza with both teams getting a ton of opportunities. Drew Owsley came up big early for the Cougars who got into some penalty trouble. The Cougars had to kill off a 40 second five-on-three, and Owsley was a huge part of it. Shortly after the five-on-three was killed off the Thunderbirds were awarded a penalty-shot when the Cougars were caught closing their hand on the puck while in the goal crease.

Burke Gallimore raced in alone on Drew Owsley who turned him aside. The Cats killed off the penalty and were up 1-0 through 20 minutes.

The Thunderbirds tied the score 3:30 into the second when Jacob Doty banged home a pass from Branden Troock to tie the score. The Cougars thought they had taken a 2-1 lead when Cody Carlson centered the puck into the goal-mouth area and the puck found it’s way past Calvin Pickard. The referee promptly waved ‘no goal’ and claimed that the puck was knocked in with a glove. They went upstairs and confirmed the referee’s initial decision.

The teams traded chances early in the third with both goaltenders not budging. The Seattle Thunderbirds were awarded a power play shortly after the 10-minute mark and made the Cougars pay. Marcel Noebels found the bouncing puck in the slot area and buried one past Drew Owsley to give the Thunderbirds a 2-1 lead.

The Cougars pulled their goaltender in the final minute and were rewarded with puck luck shortly thereafter. Charles Inglis won a faceoff cleanly back to Cody Carlson. Carlson slid a pass over to Martin Marincin who fired a wrist-shot through traffic. The puck hit off of Charles Inglis and through Calvin Pickard to tie the score at two. The referees again went upstairs to confirm the call on the ice, and this time the Cougars were credited with the goal.

Overtime solved nothing with both teams mustering three shots on goal. The T-Birds had the best chance but Dan Gibb sprawled and blocked a shot to keep the game tied.

Onto the shootout where Drew Owsley once again stood tall. He denied Branden Troock on Seattle’s first attempt which set the table for Charles Inglis. Inglis raced down and buried one past Calvin Pickard to give the Cougars the shootout lead. It was the first goal the Cats have scored in a shootout this season. Owsley then stopped Luke Lockhart and Marcel Noebels to seal the deal for the Cougars.

The Cougars finished the game zero-for-five on the power play, and were outshot 34-29.

The Cougars record improved to 7-17-0-2 while Seattle’s record falls to 10-11-0-1. The Cougars will look to extend their winning streak to two games when they face the Spokane Chiefs tomorrow night in Spokane.

2011-11-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars road-swing continues tonight in Kent, Washington where for the first time this season, the Prince George Cougars will face the Seattle Thunderbirds. Last season the Cats were 2-1-0-1 against Seattle.

Overview:

After a less-than-stellar start in their own right, the T-Birds have turned it on as of late. They are winners of three straight games, and currently hold a six-point edge on the Cougars for eighth place in the West, with four less games played.

Who’s Up Front:

Offensively Seattle is led by 20-year-old forward Burke Gallimore. The 20-year-old from Edmonton, AB is the co-leader in points for Seattle in with 17. He also leads the team in goals with 11.

Who’s on D:

19-year-old defenceman David Sutter leads Seattle’s defense-corps with 11 points in 21 games played. Sutter has scored three times, and is a +1 on the season.

Who’s in Goal:

The Seattle Thunderbirds boast one of the top netminders in the entire WHL in 20-year-old Calvin Pickard. The 19-year-old is a strong candidate to represent Canada at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta, and has a 10-9 record this season. Pickard’s save percentage is .906 and his goals against right now sits at 3.62. He is a draft-pick of the Colorado Avalanche.

X-Factor:

19-year-old forward Marcel Noebels is definitely a player that the Cougars will need to keep a close eye on tonight. So far this season Noebels has eight goals and is tied for the team lead in points with 17. Noebels is a big body who stands 6’3 and weighs over 200 pounds.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars have lost their last six games and are currently at the bottom of the WHL’s Western Conference. The Cats have looked brilliant in spurts through those six games, but have not been able to put 60 full minutes together when it matters the most. Tonight is a big four-pointer against the team currently occupying eighth place in the WHL’s Western Conference.

Who’s Up Front:

Cougars forward Charles Inglis has elevated his game to a higher level over the past week. Inglis has a four-game point streak going and during that span he’s got five points. He’s scored beautiful goals in two-straight games, and once again will need to be the focal point of the Cougars offense if they want to break out of their slump tonight.

Who’s on D:

Tonight is a statement game for the entire defense-corps of the Prince George Cougars. The Cats have prided themselves on being a defensively-stingy team this season, and to a man they are not happy about surrendering seven goals against Kelowna on Wednesday. The Cougars d-men need to play t their strengths and not try to do ‘too much.’ The Cougars have incredible depth on defense, and I expect a much better outing tonight from all six blueliners, whoever they may be.

Who’s in Goal:

Devon Fordyce started for the Cougars Wedneday in Kelowna and lost, so in all likelihood Drew Owsley will go tonight for Prince George. The former Tri City Americans goalie is no stranger to Seattle. In fact Owsley is 12-2-0-0 lifetime against the Thunderbirds and went 6-0-0-0 against them last season.

X-Factor:

Martin Marincin is capable of taking a game over by himself when he wants too. Marincin has had many glorious opportunities in recent games, but simply has not been able to convert. A big night from Martin Marincin would go a long way in helping the Cougars restore some confidence, and restoring some ground in the WHL Western Conference playoff race.

Four Third Period Goals Sink the Cougars in Kelowna.

2011-11-23T23:31:00.001-08:00

Wednesday night in Kelowna the Prince George Cougars surrendered four unanswered goals in the third period, and lost 7-3 to the Kelowna Rockets. A strong 40 minutes was not enough for the Cougars who dropped their sixth straight.

The Kelowna Rockets opened the scoring just 4:27 into the game. Tyrell Goulbourne followed up a Colton Heffley shot and knocked home a rebound through Devon Fordyce to give his team the 1-0 lead.

Just under three minutes later the Cats tied it when Troy Bourke converted on the power play. Bourke positioned himself in front of the net and made no mistake off an Alex Forsberg pass to tie the game.

Though they were badly outshot in the first period, the Cougars had the last laugh. Greg Fraser made a nifty behind-the-back pass to Charles Inglis, who danged his way through the defense and roofed one on Adam Brown to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play.

Mid-way through the second period Kelowna tied it when Jesse Astles followed up a Brett Bulmer shot, and buried a back-hand by Devon Fordyce for a 2-2 score. 81 seconds later the Rockets took the lead again when Kevin Smith fired a point-shot that found it’s way through everybody and into the back of the net. It was a power play marker for Kelowna which gave them a 3-2 lead.

Late in the second the Cougars failed to score on a 70-second five-on-three but they did managed to tie the score when Cody Carlson was able to squeeze the puck past Adam Brown with only .2 seconds left on the clock. The referee had to go upstairs to confirm, but the goal stood, and the score was 3-3 after 40 minutes.

Early in the third period, the Cougars seemed tentative, and it cost them. Colton Scissons carried the puck across the blue-line and fired a shot over the shoulder of Devon Fordyce to give Kelowna the 4-3 lead. Scissons made it 5-3 a few minutes later on a power play, and all of a sudden Kelowna had full control.

Cody Chickie and Carter Rigby added goals late for Kelowna to make the final score 7-3 for the Rockets.

The Cougars finish one-for-five on the power play while Kelowna went three-for-four. Kelowna finished with 31 shots while the Cougars countered with 22.

The Cougars have four games remaining in their road-trip which continues Friday night from Seattle. Puck drops at 7:30 Friday night from Kent, Washington.

Marincin to Suit Up for Slovakia at the World Juniors in Alberta.

2011-11-23T13:21:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are pleased to announce that 19-year-old defenceman Martin Marincin will play for Slovakia at the 2012 World junior Hockey Championships in Alberta from December 26, 2011 to January 5, 2012. This will be Marincin’s third time playing for Slovakia in this tournament as he represented his country last season in Buffalo, New York and in 2010 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Marincin was drafted in the second-round, 46th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010 and is enjoying a fine sophomore season with the Prince George Cougars. In 19 games, Marincin has totaled two goals and 10 points. Marincin scored 14 goals and finished with 56 points in his rookie season with the Cougars in 2010-2011. The Cougars selected Marincin first overall in the 2010 CHL Import Draft.

The Prince George Cougars would like to wish Martin Marincin all the best as he prepares to represent his country at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

Food for Thought From Kelowna.

2011-11-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

Another game day for the Prince George Cougars as they once again get set to take on the Kelowna Rockets. So far this season the Rockets are 3-0 against the Cougars having posted two victories against them this past weekend.

Tonight's game also marks the first of five straight games on the road for the Cougars who will then go on to face Seattle, Spokane, Kamloops and then Kelowna once more before returning home.

It's an important road-trip for the Cougars and given where they are in the standings, it's important for them to do everything they can to get a winning-streak going.

Some food for thought:

- The Cougars have scored two or less goals in 16 of their first 24 games this season. The Cats have done a fine job at holding the opposition in check offensively, but unless they figure out a way to score more goals, they'll likely continue to struggle in the win column. Four of the last five games (all losses) have been decided by one-goal. If the Cougars can find a way to score more than two goals, they give themselves a terrific chance to win games. Granted it's easier said than done against a rival like Kelowna, but the Cougars are more than capable of doing so.

- Still no word yet on who is going to start in goal for the Prince George Cougars tonight. In my opinion it is basically going to be a coin-flip between Drew Owsley and Devon Fordyce. Last night against Kootenay, Owsley put forward one of the best goaltending performances I have seen from anybody all season. Granted the Cougars lost 3-2, but to no fault of Owsley who made at least four truly magnificent stops that most goalies would not have made. Does that earn him another crack at the Kelowna Rockets? Or does Devon Fordyce get the call in order to throw a different wrinkle at Kelowna. Fordyce has earned points in his past two starts, and has proven recently that he can make timely saves as well.

- I know that the wins and losses may hint otherwise, but you can't deny the fact that the 2011-2012 Prince George Cougars are developing well, especially the younger kids. Jordan Tkatch earned an assist last night thanks to some great effort along the boards. Jake Mykitiuk makes a dandy move through center to set up the Cougars first goal, and guys like Michael Mylchreest, Linden Springer, and Jarrett Fontaine continue to get better with each passing game. The sky is the limit for these kids of they continue to work hard.

- The return of Jesse Forsberg makes a world of difference to this team both physically and emotionally. I'm very excited to see Forsberg go head-to-head with Kelowna tonight. Who knows if a healthy Jesse Forsberg would have made a difference last weekend at home, but tonight he's in and I'd expect nothing less than the usual from the captain: Gritty, determined, physicality.

- I hope you can catch tonight's game which goes live on 99.3 The Drive starting at 6:45 with the pre-game show. Enjoy your night, and we'll chat you soon.

DO

Cougars - Rockets Preview.

2011-11-23T11:39:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars and Kelowna Rockets are set to renew their acquaintances tonight from Kelowna. It’s the fourth meeting of the season between the Rockets and the Cougars with Kelowna having posted victories in the first three meetings.

Overview:

Ryan Huska’s Kelowna Rockets are starting to turn things around. They’ve picked up points in each of their past four games, and are now just four points behind Victoria in the B.C. Division.

Who’s Up Front:

The Kelowna Rockets are led offensively by 18-year-old Shane McColgan. McColgan has 22 points in 21 games so far this season for the Rockets, but was largely held in check by the Cougars this past weekend. McColgan is especially dangerous on the power play, and is a strong puck-handler with good vision. The Cougars will need to continue to keep McColgan and his linemates in check.

Who’s on D:

Saturday in Prince George it was Colten Martin who stood out to me the most on the back-end. Martin had two assists in the game, and played a very dependable style of game for his team. Offensively the Rockets are led on the back-end by Damon Severson who has 16 points through 22 games.

Who’s in Goal:

Adam Brown continues to roll against the Prince George Cougars. The Rockets 20-year-old netminder played in both games this past weekend with the Cougars and scored both victories. He looked vulnerable on a few occasions, but largely stayed calm and collected. If Brown does not get the go tonight, it will likely be his backup Jordon Cooke who is 1-1-2-1 this season with a 3.27 Goals Against Average and a saver percentage of .904.

X-Factor:

The Kelowna Rockets X-Factor will once again be their power play, which struck in both games this past weekend against Prince George. Overall the Rockets power play ranks 13th in the WHL but it came through when it needed to this past weekend. Shane McColgan and Brett Bulmer are the two key puck movers in the man-advantage, and the Cougars will need to minimize their opportunities.

Overview:

After starting the month of November with a 2-2-0-1 record, the Cougars have slipped some. They’ve dropped five games in a row, and are still four points back of the Seattle Thunderbirds for eighth place in the Western Conference standings.

Who’s Up Front:

Charles Inglis continues to put up points for the Prince George Cougars. The 19-year-old forward is on a three-game point-streak having scored two goals and two assists in that span. His linemates Greg Fraser and Caleb Belter also seem to be benefiting from Inglis’ strong play. The Cougars will need the Inglis line, and the trio of Alex Forsberg, Spencer Asuchak and Troy Bourke to be at their best tonight if they’re going to snap the skid in Kelowna.

Who’s on D:

20-year-old defenceman Cody Carlson continues to contribute offensively to the Cougars attack. Carlson earned an assist last night against Kootenay and is now second overall in team scoring with 14 points in 24 games. Carlson moves the puck really well and has been a dependable shot-blocker and defensive catalyst for Dean Clark this season.

Who’s in Goal:

A difficult decision for Dean Clark tonight due to the fact that Drew Owsley was terrific last night against Kootenay. Owsley stopped 39 of the 42 shots he faced, many of which were highlight-reel saves. Does Dean Clark go back with Owsley who has started the last three games? Or does Devon Fordyce get the call against Kelowna?

X-Factor:

When the Cougars power play scores goals, the Cougars win games. In five of their six victories this season, the Cougars have received at least one power play goal. The power play has looked good in recent games, but it just hasn’t been properly rewarded. Last night it was a short-handed goal by Kootenay which ultimately turned the tide of the game in Kootenay’s favor. If the Cougars can click on the power play tonight, they’ll put themselves in a strong position to snap this streak and head to Seattle with a ‘W.’

Kootenay 3 - Prince George 2

2011-11-23T08:01:00.001-08:00

Tuesday night at home the Prince George Cougars fell 3-2 to the Kootenay Ice. Max Reinhart scored short-handed early in the third to give Kootenay the 3-2 lead. Cougars netminder Drew Owsley was brilliant making 39 saves on 42 shots faced in defeat.

From the drop of the puck, Owsley was in the zone. He made two great stops off of Elgin Pearce early, and from there the Cougars were able to settle down a bit.

Kootenay did score first in the later stages of the first when Joey Leach put a point-shot on net. It hit something in front of Owsley and deflected in to give the Ice a 1-0 lead.

The Ice led 1-0 after one, and outshot Prince George 14-6 after 20 minutes.

The Cougars came to life offensively in the second period thanks to some strong skating from Jake Mykitiuk. Mykitiuk weaved through two defenders and then passed to the right wing. Michael Mylchreest’s shot was stopped, but Campbell Elynuik batted a loose puck out of the air and into the net for his third of the season.

Mid-way through the second the Cougars would strike again. This time it was Charles Inglis who received a pass from Jordan Tkatch, and he dragged the puck by the defender and then beat Mackenzie Skapski to give the Cats a 2-1 lead.

Kootenay would tie the score late in the period when Sam Reinhart received a pass from behind the net courtesy of Joe Antilla. Reinhart fired a quick shot that beat Owsley under his glove, and the Cougars and Ice skated into the locker-room tied 2-2 after 40 minutes.

Cougars netminder Drew Owsley was especially sharp in the second period. He made a flurry of big-time saves. Elgin Pearce, Luke Paulsen and Adam Rossignol were all denied point-blank by Owsley who continued to impress.

Early in the third period the Cougars were given a power play, but it was the Ice who took advantage. Max Reinhart was able to slide past the defense, and out-waited Drew Owsley just enough to slide a puck by him to give Kootenay a 3-2 lead.

From there, the Kootenay Ice did a fine job of slowing the play down, and really minimized the Cougars chances. Drew Owsley made some key saves down the stretch, but the Cougars were unable to beat Skapski again, and the game ended with a 3-2 score.

Kootenay outshot the Cougars 42-20. The Cats finished zero-for-three on the man advantage while Kootenay went zero-for-two.

The Cougars don’t have a long time to dwell in this defeat as they’re back in action Wednesday night in Kelowna against the Rockets

Cougars - Ice Preview.

2011-11-22T11:07:00.001-08:00

Tonight the defending WHL champs are in town for their lone meeting of the regular season with the Prince George Cougars. The Cougars and Kootenay Ice will square off tonight at 7:00 from CN Centre.

KOOTENAY ICE:

Overview:

The Kootenay Ice have continued right where they left off last season. So far the Ice have posted a record of 15-5-1-2. They hold a two-point lead for first place in the Central Division and are 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 games.

Who’s Up Front:

Offensively the Kootenay Ice are led by Calgary draft-pick Max Reinhart. Reinhart leads Kootenay with 10 goals and 25 points so far. Two of Reinhart’s goals have come on the power play and two have been scored short-handed. He’s dangerous everytime he’s on the ice, and the Cougars will need to do their best to keep him in check.

Who’s on D:

19-year-old defenceman Joey Leach is the offensive leader from the back-end for Kootenay. Leach has notched 16 points so far this season and is a +15 on top of that. Leach brings a 6’4”, 200 pound frame to the table and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him log the most minutes out of all of the Kootenay blueliners.

Who’s in Goal:

The Kootenay Ice boast one of the top goaltenders in the Western Hockey League in 20-year-old Nathan Lieuwen. The Buffalo Sabres draft-pick stands 6’5 and has numbers that mostly every other netminder in the league would envy. He has a save percentage of .936, and a goals against average of 1.82. Should Lieuwen get a rare night off, the Cougars may get to see Mackenzie Skapski, a 17-year-old from Abbotsford who is certainly more than capable of playing and winning for Kootenay. He is 4-1 with a 2.60 goals against average and a save percentage of .898.

X-Factor:

Centerman Elgin Peace has put together a solid start for the Ice offensively. Heading into tonight, Pearce has tallied nine go0als and nine assists and sits third overall in team scoring. Pearce has also added three goals on the power play which is good enough for the team lead. The Ice have a very balanced attack, and Pearce is just one of many Kootenay forwards that can burn you if you let him.

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS:

Overview:

After a solid start to the month of November, the Prince George Cougars are 0-3-0-1 in their last four games. Heading into this week the Cougars trail the eighth place Seattle Thunderbirds by four points in the Western Conference. The Cougars dropped two in a row this weekend to Kelowna.

Who’s Up Front:

18-year-old forward Caleb Belter seems to be skating with a lot more confidence as of late. Belter had a goal and an assist this weekend, and seems to be thriving on a line with Charles Inglis and Greg Fraser. Belter has more offensively skill than he’s given credit for, and if he can start to produce consistently on offense, it will serve as a great bonus for the Cougars who are still having trouble scoring more than two or three goals per game.

Who’s on D:

Even though he didn’t score any goals or put up any helpers, Martin Marincin was a man among boys through spurts of Saturday’s game with Kelowna. Marincin proved once again that when he wants to, he can be the most effective and lethal player on the ice. He’s fast, strong, smart and skilled, and has the ability to take a game over. If Marincin puts forth a similar performance tonight against Kootenay, the Cougars will have a great chance to win.

Who’s in Goal:

With four games in the next five nights it’s likely that we’ll see both Drew Owsley and Devon Fordyce get some playing time. Still no official word on who gets the call tonight, but I would bank on Drew Owsley getting the call against the defending WHL Champs. Time will tell of course.

X-Factor:

Discipline is of the utmost importance when playing any team in this league, but especially a team like Kootenay that has a lot of depth and a lot of confidence. While it may not have cost the Cougars Saturday, a lack of discipline was still a definite factor in the Cougars loss to Kelowna on Saturday. If the Cougars can regain some confidence on the power play and hold Kootenay to as few power play chances as possible, the Cougars will have a great chance to defeat the Kootenay Ice.

Rockets 4 - Cougars 2

2011-11-19T22:32:00.001-08:00

Saturday night in Prince George, the Cougars let a 2-0 lead slip away, and fell 4-2 to the Kelowna Rockets. An early third period power play goal from Tyson Ballie proved to be the difference.

The Cougars started very strongly. They out-hit, out-skated, and out-muscled the Rockets through the first 20 minutes. Spencer Asuchak opened the scoring at 5:54 of the first when he tucked home a Troy Bourke rebound for his seventh of the season.

The Cougars doubled their lead when Caleb Belter raced down the right wing and tucked one underneath Adam Brown for his second of the season.

After the 2-0 goal, Kelowna got their legs back. They carried the play in the late stages of the first period and were rewarded when Mitch Chapman’s point-shot found it’s way past Drew Owsley to make it 2-1. For Chapman it was his second of the season for the Rockets.

Late in the first, the Cougars were given a power play and came eerily close to making it 3-1, but Cody Carlson was unable to take advantage on a nice feed from Alex Forsberg.

The Cougars and Rockets went back-and-forth in the second period with each team getting a few chances. The Rockets’ netminder Adam Brown stood tall and made some clutch saves, and even got some help from defenceman Kevin Smith who took a sure goal away from Charles Inglis mid-way through the frame.

The Rockets tied the score at 11:11 of the second on a wrist-shot from Zach Franko that hand-cuffed Drew Owsley. Owsley made the save with his glove, but the puck hopped over his head, and wound up in the net for Franko’s fifth of the season.

Early in the third Kelowna took advantage on the power play. Tyson Ballie tried to center the puck through the slot, but instead it redirected back towards him off of Martin Marincin, and Ballie slid it into the open net to give Kelowna 3-2 lead. A tough break for the Cougars considering the magnitude of the hooking penalty that was called on Reid Jackson.

Jackson was removed from the game after he argued the call to no avail.

The Rockets sealed the game when Tyrell Goulbourne converted on a Shane McColgan pass from behind the net to make it 4-2.

The Cougars did outshot Kelowna 31-26, but finished the game zero-for-five on the power play while Kelowna went one-for-seven.

The Cougars will look to get back on track Tuesday night when they welcome the defending champs from Kootenay to town.

Cougars - Rockets Preview (Part Two)

2011-11-19T12:55:00.001-08:00

Tonight the Prince George Cougars and Kelowna Rockets meet for a third time this season. So far Kelowna has managed to beat the Cougars twice, both games were decided by only one goal.

Overview:

The Kelowna Rockets have earned points in three consecutive games, and head into tonight’s affair with a three-point lead on the Prince George Cougars in the B.C. Division. The Rockets are 7-11-2-1 on the season.

Who’s Up Front:

18-year-old forward Shane McColgan has managed 21 points through 20 games this season for Ryan Huska’s hockey club. McColgan is not the biggest guy on the ice, but he plays the game with a lot of intelligence in the offensive zone. He’s patient and crafty, and managed one assist in last night’s 3-2 victory for the Rockets.

Who’s on D:

16-year-old defenceman Madison Bowie was credited with the game-winning goal in last night’s game. He scored late in the first period on a power play. His shot was hard, low, and accurate for the Kelowna Rockets. So far this season Bowie has managed four goals through 12 games this season.

Who’s in Goal:

Adam Brown has been named first start in both games this season featuring the Rockets and the Cougars. Brown made some important saves for Kelowna, especially in the first period of last night’s game. He’s confident with the puck and controlled his rebounds very well in last night’s game. Should Brown get the night off tonight, Jordan Cooke would be pressed into duty.

X-Factor:

Arguably the most dangerous Rockets forward last night was Prince George product Brett Bulmer. Bulmer had an assist and has now recorded nine points in six games since returning to the Western Hockey League. Overall I thought the Cougars did a good job against the trio of Bulmer, Scissons and Vasko and they’ll need to do so again tonight if they want to climb closer to the Rockets in the standings.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars are winless in their last three, and they head into tonight’s game trailing Seattle by two points, and Kelowna by three in the Western Conference standings. The Cougars have typically struggled in the Friday game of their double-headers this season, but have won their last two home games played on Saturdays.

Who’s Up Front;

Cougars Head Coach Dean Clark said that Charles Inglis played his best game of the season for Prince George last night against Kelowna, and that’s certainly a fair statement. Inglis had a goal, an assist and was terrific in the face-off dot. Inglis brings so many positives to the Prince George Cougars lineup, and hopefully he’s got more offense up his sleeve tonight when the Cats and Rockets get going.

Who’s on D:

Consistency is a word that gets thrown around an awful lot in hockey, but Cougars defenceman Dan Gibb has provided exactly that for Dean Clark’s team this season. Gibb has only managed three assists, but the things that he does away from the puck are so impressive. He continues to get better, and continues to earn the praise of his teammates and his coaching staff. Dan Gibb and Cody Carlson will likely see a ton of ice-time against the Bulmer, Scissons and Vasko trio again tonight.

Who’s in Goal:

After a tough first period, Drew Owsley was perfect the rest of the way in last night’s game. The first goal was definitely on that he’d like to have back, and I’m sure that if given the go-ahead tonight, Drew Owsley will be ready. Dean Clark may decide to go back with Devon Fordyce though who has earned points in each of his last two starts.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars power play went zero-for-six in last night’s game. If the Cougars are able to strike even once, then the end result might be different. The Cougars certainly had their chances on the man-advantage, but credit the Kelowna Rockets for winning a lot of puck-battles in their zone. If the Cougars can get their power play back on track tonight, they’ll have every chance in the world to grab two points.

Rockets 3 - Cougars 2

2011-11-18T22:45:00.001-08:00

Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars comeback effort fell one-goal short as the Kelowna Rockets were able to hold on to a 3-2 victory. The Rockets scored all three of their goals in the first period and killed off all six of their penalties.

The Rockets opened the scoring in the first period at 4:27. Carter Rigby pounced on a Shane McColgan rebound and slid it by Drew Owsley to give the Rockets the lead.

It wouldn’t last long as Charles Inglis received a terrific pass from Cody Carlson in the high slot, and he beat Adam Brown for his fifth of the season at 10:11 of the opening frame.

Kelowna regained their lead shortly after that goal when the Cougars got caught pinching at the wrong time. Rockets winger Brett Bulmer skated in on a two-on-none with Cody Chickie, and Bulmer slid a pass across the crease for a tap-in.

The Rockets would add to their lead late in the frame with Madison Bowie one-timed a point-shot through a maze of bodies, and it found it’s way into the net for a 3-1 Kelowna lead.

There was no scoring in the second period, but early in the third the Cougars pounced. Charles Inglis made a terrific play along the right wing, and slid the puck across the ice to Greg Fraser who tapped in his sixth of the season to make it 3-2.

The Cougars were then given four third period power plays and very nearly converted. But Troy Bourke hit the cross-bar and the Rockets were able to escape with two points. Adam Brown stopped 20 of the 22 shots that he faced in goal for the Rockets while Drew Owsley turned aside 21 of 24, and was perfect after the first period.

The Cougars finished zero-for-six on the power play while the Rockets finished one-for-four. The win helps Kelowna improve to 7-11-2-1 while the Cougars fall to 6-14-0-2. The Rockets now hold a three-point edge on the Prince George Cougars for fourth place in the B.C. Division.

The Cougars and Rockets will duke it out again tomorrow night from CN Centre.

2011-11-18T09:41:00.001-08:00

Tonight the Prince George Cougars welcome the Kelowna Rockets for the first time in 2011-2012. Last season the Cougars were 3-5-1-0- against the Rockets and so far this season are 0-1 having dropped a 2-1 decision to them back on October 26th. It’s an important weekend for both teams as there is only one point separating these two BC Division Rivals in the standings.

Overview:

Ryan Huska’s Kelowna Rockets head into tonight’s game having earned points in each of their last two games. Overall the Rockets sit with a record of 6-11-2-1 and have recorded 15 points through 20 games this season.

Who’s Up Front:

Since returning from the Minnesota Wild, Prince George’s Brett Bulmer has not disappointed. Through five games, Bulmer has tallied eight points and has added instant offense and character to the Rockets. Bulmer’s skills were recently on display for Team WHL as they played against Russia at the Canada-Russia Super Series. He was joined my teammates Zack Franko and Colton Scissons.

Who’s on D:

17-year-old defenceman Damon Severson is enjoying a terrific second season with the Kelowna Rockets. Severson is tied for second in team in scoring with 16 points. Impressive when you consider that Severson had only 17 points last season.

Who’s in Goal:

Adam Brown is the 20-year-old puck-stopper for the Kelowna Rockets and his name alone carries a ton of weight and respect in the league. That being said, Brown has had his ups and downs in 2011-2012. His record is 5-10 and his save percentage is .883 and his Goals Against is sitting at 3.87.

X-Factor:

The Kelowna Rockets leading scorer is 18-year-old California product Shane McColgan. McColgan is a very quick and crafty player for Kelowna. He’s tied for second in goal-scoring for the Rockets with seven, and I would expect to see a lot of McColgan in key situations.

Overview:

So far the month of November has relatively friendly for the Prince George Cougars. They have earned points in three of their past four games, and right now trail the Kelowna Rockets by only one point in the B.C. Division Standings. The Cougars carry a record of 6-13-0-2 into this weekend. Two points for the Cougars tonight would help leap-frog them over the Kelowna Rockets in the standings.

Who’s Up Front;

Right now Spencer Asuchak is enjoying one of the finest offensive stretches in his career. The 20-year-old has tallied four goals in his last three games, and has really benefited from playing alongside Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg. Asuchak has simply used his size to his advantage. Most of his goals have come from simply out-working the opposition in front of the net.

Who’s on D:

20-year-old Cody Carlson continues provide the Prince George Cougars with strong consistency at both ends of the ice. Carlson has not been the least bit shy about blocking shots, and getting his nose dirty with the opposition. Add the fact that Carlson has contributed 11 points to the Cougars attack this season, and it’s easy to see why Carlson has been one of the more valuable contributors to the Cougars this season.

Who’s in Goal:

With Devon Fordyce having played Sunday in Vancouver the door is open for Drew Owsley to get one or both starts this weekend, at home against the Rockets. Owsley was sharp in a 3-2 loss to the Everett Silvertips back on November 12th. He stopped a Jesse Mychan penalty-shot, and was the victim of a couple of bad bounces in front of him which led to other opportunities. No definitive word yet on who gets the call in goal though.

X-Factor:

Forward Charles Inglis is eligible to return to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension stemming from a charging-major assessed during Saturday’s loss in Everett. When he’s on his game, Inglis can be very dangerous and a true game-breaker. I look for Inglis to put forth a strong outing in front of the CN Centre faithful tonight.

Cougars Launch Holiday Campaign.

2011-11-17T09:21:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars have teamed up with the Salvation Army and other local organizations to make it easy for fans to give this holiday season. The Annual Cougars Christmas Campaign kicks off with the Wood Wheaton “Stuff the Truck” Toy Drive Saturday, November 19 as the Cats host the Kelowna Rockets. Fans are encouraged to bring an unwrapped new toy or gift for children ages 0-17. The goal is to collect enough toys to fill the back of a Diamond White GMC SLT loaded pickup which will be displayed on the concourse that evening.

At each game between November 19 and December 17 fans are encouraged to bring items to the game to support various local organizations including Aboriginal Choice School, Canadian Mental Health Association and the Salvation Army.

“We encourage our fans to bring items to the game to help families in need over the holiday season,” said Cougars Vice President Brandi Brodsky. “We are so fortunate in so many ways and I believe that it’s important we try to share what we can to brighten the holiday for others.”

Christmas Campaign dates are listed below.

Cougars Community Christmas Campaign:

Saturday, November 19 vs Kelowna- Wood Wheaton “Stuff the Truck” Toy Drive; bring a new unwrapped toy or gift for kids from 0-17 years old and the Salvation Army will distribute the presents to children and families this holiday season.

Tuesday, November 22nd vs Kootenay-Active Support Against Poverty Sock; bring warm winter socks, scarves and toiletries and Active Support Against Poverty will distribute the donations to their clients.

Also on Tuesday, November 22nd vs Kootenay- Movember Shave-Off; since November 1, Cougars players and coaches have been growing their moustaches with the goal of raising funds and awareness for men’s health issues. Following the game on November 22, the players with the top two moustaches will have their moustaches shaved off during 99.3 the Drive’s post-game show, courtesy of Westend Barbers. Cash donation boxes will be set up at the game with all proceeds to support Movember Canada.

Tuesday, December 6th vs Portland- Gift of Hope Night; the Canadian Mental Health Association will be collecting new hats, mittens and gloves for their clients. They are in need of items for men, but welcome women’s items as well.

Wednesday, December 7th vs Portland- Coats for Kids; bring a gently used child’s coat or jacket and you will receive a coupon good for one free small popcorn courtesy of Eurest. Representatives from the Aboriginal Choice School will collect the coats for their students.

Friday, December 16th vs Vancouver-Yellowhead Rotary Food Drive; the Yellowhead Rotary Club of Prince George is gathering food for the Prince George Food Bank at the December 16th game vs Vancouver. Please bring non-perishable food items to support families in our community.

Saturday, December 17th vs Vancovuer – Teddy Bear Toque Toss; when the Cats’ score their first goal against the Vancouver Giants Cougars fans can toss their stuffed animals and toques on the ice. The bears and toques will benefit the RCMP Victim Services Unit, the Salvation Army and other organizations in need over the holiday season. A limited supply of new stuffed animals will be available for purchase by donation at the December 17th game. Funds raise will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Prince George.

All donations will be collected in Section X.

The Cougars Christmas Campaign is proudly supported by our media sponsors - 101.3 The River, 99.3 The Drive and CKPG-TV.

Top 25 WHL Skaters (And Top Goalies)

2011-11-17T08:30:00.000-08:00

No members of the Prince George Cougars have cracked the top 25 WHL plays in the Preliminary - North American rankings, though I bet Troy Bourke begs to differ.

Here are the WHL rankings according to NHL.Com

1. Ryan Murray Everett D
2. Morgan Rielly Moose Jaw D
3. Mathew Dumba Red Deer D
4. Derrick Pouliot Portland D
5. Griffin Reinhart Edmonton D
6. Colton Sissons Kelowna C
7. Chandler Stephenson Regina C
8. Coda Gordon Swift Current LW
9. Mike Winther Prince Albert C
10. Nicholas Walters Everett D
11. Brandon Troock Seattle RW
12. Brett Kulak Vancouver D
13. Damon Severson Kelowna D
14. Dalton Thrower Saskatoon D
15. Dominik Volek Regina RW
16. Michal Plutnar Tri-City D
17. Tyrel Seaman Brandon LW
18. Lukas Sutter Saskatoon C
19. Brendan Leipsic Portland LW
20. Shayne Gwinner Moose Jaw D
21. Ryan Olsen Saskatoon C
22. Travis Brown Moose Jaw D
23. Timothe Bozon Kamloops C/LW/RW
24. Steven Hodges Victoria C
25. Alessio Bertaggia Brandon LW

GOALIES:

1. Andrey Makarov Saskatoon G
2. Chris Driedger Calgary G
3. Patrik Bartosak Red Deer G
4. Mackenzie Skapski Kootenay G
5. Corbin Boes Brandon G
6. Cole Holowenko Prince Albert G

Cougars Sending Four to the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

2011-11-15T10:32:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are pleased to announce that four of their forwards (all 2010 WHL Bantam Draft Picks of the Cougars) will play in the upcoming World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ontario from December 29th, 2011 through January 4th, 2012.

Alex Forsberg (Waldheim, SK), Jordan Tkatch (Prud’Homme, SK) and Jarrett Fontaine (Humboldt, SK) will be suiting up for Team West while Chase Witala (Prince George, B.C.) will play for Team Pacific.

“We’re very excited, as we have been for a long time regarding this group,” said Prince George Cougars Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel Wade Klippenstein. “We felt we had a strong draft two years ago when we left the draft table, and now it’s come to be with six guys making our team as 16-year-olds, and four of them today being acknowledged as some of the top players in the country.”

Alex Forsberg (5’10”, 170 pounds) was selected by the Prince George Cougars first overall in the 2010 Bantam Draft and has not disappointed in his first full WHL campaign. Forsberg currently leads the Cougars in scoring with four goals, and 11 assists through 21 games.

“He’s our leading scorer as a 16-year-old, which says a lot in itself,” said Klippenstein. “Now he’s going to get a chance to take his game, and the type of player he is onto an international scene and I think everyone will be very impressed.”

Jordan Tkatch (5’11”, 197 pounds) has done a fine job of supplying the Cougars with clutch offense during his rookie campaign. Tkatch is second on the Cougars in goals scored with five, and at one point in October scored goals in four consecutive games. Tkatch also leads the Cougars in plus-minus with a +7. Tkatch was a second-round pick (31st overall) of the Prince George Cougars in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.

“He’s a competitor. Whether it’s at home or on the road,” said Klippenstein. “He’s only going to get better. I think he’s going to be a very reliable player for us both offensively and defensively.”

Jarrett Fontaine (5’5”, 150 pounds) has opened a lot of eyes through his first 19 games. He’s tallied three goals and one assist, and is +5 on the season. Fontaine has been frequently used as a penalty-killer, and has seen big minutes late in games. Fontaine was a third-round draft-pick (52nd overall) of the Prince George Cougars in 2010.

“Anybody who’s ever watched him, or coached him right away appreciates his work ethic,” said Klippenstein. “He’s a guy that will give you everything he has, and it’s infectious.”

Chase Witala (5’11”, 153 pounds) continues to make great strides early in his WHL career. Witala scored his first WHL goal on Sunday, November 13th in Vancouver, and has added four assists through 16 games this season. Witala was selected in the fifth round (89th overall) of the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.

“Chase is a very gifted offensive player,” said Klippenstein. “He’s a guy that’s going to make a lot of guys around him better.”

Klippenstein added, “This entire 95 group is going to be very special. And these four guys representing our team provide a great glimpse into our future and what’s coming for us.”

Vancouver 4 - Prince George 3 (Shootout)

2011-11-14T06:20:00.001-08:00

Sunday in Vancouver the Prince George Cougars earned one point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks. James Henry scored the lone goal in the shootout to give Vancouver the victory.

The Giants lead 1-0 after one period. Marek Tvrdon roofed a back-hander over the glove of Devon Fordyce to give his team the lead.

Credit the Cougars though for staying strong. They had some good scoring chances and played a solid 20 minutes.

The Cougars patience was rewarded in the second when Jordan Tkatch stole the puck from the Giants defender while short-handed. He raced in alone on Adam Morrison and roofed it over his right shoulder to make it 1-1.

Early in the third period the Prince George Cougars took the lead when Spencer Asuchak converted on the power play for his sxith of the year. For Asuchak it was his fourth goal in three games.

Just over a minute later the Cougars extended their lead when Chase Witala sent a wrist-shot towards the goal. His shot hand-cuffed Adam Morrison and ended up in the back of the net. For Chase Witala it was his first WHL goal and the Cougars led 3-1.

The Giants inched their way back when James Henry converted on a Giant’s power play opportunity.

The Giants tied the game with less than two minutes remaining and the net empty. Brendan Gallagher pounced on a loose puck and beat a sprawling Devon Fordyce to make it 3-3.

Overtime solved nothing.

Devon Fordyce shut the door on Brendan Gallagher in the shootout, but Troy Bourke was unable to score in response for Prince George. James Henry then buried for Vancouver to give them the shootout lead. Even though Marek Tvrdon was stopped by Fordyce, neither Martin Marincin or Jordan Tkatch were able to capitalize, and the Giants escaped with the extra point.

The Cougars ended the night one-for-four on the power play while Vancouver went one-for-three. The Cougars were outshot 32-29.

The one point does help the Cougars statistically. They now leap-frog the Everett Silvertips, and are now tied with the Seattle Thunderbirds with 14 points. The Cougars are only one point back of the Kelowna Rockets for eighth place in the Western Conference. The Cougars host the Rockets Friday at CN Centre.

2011-11-13T12:08:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars wrap up their three-game road trip tonight at Pacific Coliseum against the Vancouver Giants. The Cougars are coming off a 3-2 setback courtesy of the Everett Silvertips.

Overview:

The Vancouver Giants are coming off a 3-2 overtime victory over the Kelowna Rockets. The Giants record currently sits at 12-8-0-1 and they are ranked second in the B.C. Division. The Giants have won three straight, and are 8-2 in their last 10 games.

Who’s Up Front:

Offensively the Vancouver Giants are led by 19-year-old forward Brendan Gallagher. Gallagher has 29 points in 17 games, and is averaging a goal per game this season with 17. Gallagher is especially dangerous on the power play, and is a great puck handler as well.

Who’s on D:

Offensively the Giants defense core is led by Edmonton Oiler’s prospect David Musil. The 18-year-old blueliner has 11 points in 21 games and is a +8 on the season. Musil has proven to be steady and reliable at both ends of the ice this season.

Who’s in Goal:

Adam Morrison got the call last night for the Giants in their 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. Morrison has a record of 11-4-0-1 and has beaten the Cougars twice this season. Morrison’s backup is 16-year-old Jackson Whistle who is still searching for his first WHL victory. Whistle’s last appearance came back on October 29th against the Prince George Cougars.

X-Factor:

The Vancouver Giants continue to get solid production from rookie forward Marek Tvrdon. Tvrdon had the OT winner last night for the Giants and has tallied 23 points in 20 games this season. Tvrdon is also very dangerous on the power play. His slap shot is widely used, and the Cougars will need do their best to stay disciplined and minimize the Giants chances on the man-advantage.

Who’s Up Front:

The Prince George Cougars got another goal last night from Spencer Asuchak who has now tallied three times in the last two games. The 20-year-old is starting to play with a lot more confidence, and it certainly helps when he’s got two great linemates in Alex Forsberg and Troy Bourke. If the Cougars want to find success tonight in Vancouver, these three will need to be key contributors again.

Who’s on D:

Through 15 games, Martin Marincin has shown that he’s a real game-breaker when he wants to be. Although guilty of sometimes trying to do a little ‘too much’, Marincin provides the Cougars with instant offense on the back-end. If Marincin is able to use his many strengths to his advantage tonight, the Cougars will be right there with Vancouver.

Who’s In Goal:

After two starts in a row this weekend, it looks like Drew Owsley will get the night off for the Cougars, and Devon Fordyce will get his third career start. Fordyce was excellent on Saturday, November 5th against Kamloops and he showed that he can rise up, and beat good teams. The Cougars defense will need to help Fordyce, and clear the traffic in front of him. If Fordyce can keep it simple and focused, theres absolutely no reason why he won’t be able to defeat Vancouver tonight.

X-Factor:

A common x-factor this season for the Cougars has been discipline. When they stay disciplined they are successful. The Cougars have a record of 1-7 when surrendering a power play goal against, and the ultimate key to beating Vancouver will be staying disciplined and opportunistic on their opportunities. The Cougars power play has scored in three straight games, and if they can win the special-teams battle tonight, they’ll have a great chance at earning their seventh victory of the season.

Cougar Split in Everett.

2011-11-13T01:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday night in Everett, the Prince George Cougars fell 3-2 to the Everett Silvertips. Ryan Harrison scored two power play goals in the second period and Austin Lotz made some key saves in the third to help lead Everett to victory.

It was a scoreless game after one period of play, but the first period was extremely eventful. First off the Cougars lost Brock Hirsche when he was on the wrong-end of a collision behind the Cougars goal.

Mid-way through the period Everett forward Jesse Mychan was hauled down on a breakaway and received a penalty-shot. He tried to go five-hole on Drew Owsley, but the Prince George netminder stood his ground and made the save.

Late in the first period the Cougars lost another key forward. This time it was Charles inglis who was kicked out of the game for a charging major penalty. The Silvertips received a five-minute power play and made the most of it early in the second.

Ryan Harrison scored back-to-back goals on the same power play to give Everett a 2-0 lead in the second. The Cougars responded with their own power play marker not long after. Spencer Asuchak one-timed home an Alex Forsberg pass to make it 2-1. For Asuchak it was his third goal in two games.

The Silvertips grabbed their two-goal lead back when Cody Fowlie’s pass deflected off a Cougar and in past Drew Owsley. It was 3-1 after 40 minutes.

After killing off an early power play in the third, the Cougars responded offensively. Greg Fraser took an initial shot that was blocked, but he grabbed his own rebound and flipped it past Austin Lotz to help make it 3-2.

The Cougars then continued to pepper Lotz with shots. Josh Smith, Jake Mykitiuk and Martin Marincin were all denied by the 16-year-old, and the Silvertips were able to hang on for the win.

The Cougars finished the game one-for-six on the power play while Everett went two-for-two. The Silvertips outshot the Cougars 25-23.

The Cougars will wrap up their three-game road swing Sunday night in Vancouver. It will mark the fourth meeting of the season between the Prince George Cougars and the Vancouver Giants.

Observations From Everett.

2011-11-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Last night was the first time for me calling a hockey game in the United States. I was warned that the atmosphere in Everett was very rowdy, and the Everett faithful did not disappoint. I was definitely impressed with the energy last night, and I expect the same tonight. I realize that Washington Stats is not necessarily the first state you think of it comes to hockey prominence, but I like the fact that the Everett Silvertips are drawing well.

It was an emotional night no doubt for Campbell Elynuik who got to face his former Everett teammates for the first time since a summer trade sent him to Regina (and then eventually to Prince George). Elynuik continues to do a lot of little things that have impressed me and hopefully the coaching staff as well. I admire the fact that he's willing to fight anybody that comes knocking. The Cougars definitely lacked that type of toughness earlier in the season, and I think Elynuik has been a solid addition. Kudos to Dallas Thompson for making the deal. It only cost the Cougars a conditional sixth round pick.

Speaking of new additions, I also want to acknowledge defenceman Reid Jackson. Jackson has made a great early impression in Prince George with his teammates and no doubt the fans as well. He keeps it simple and plays a smart, dependable game. Right now with everybody healthy, the Prince George Cougars defense-core is arguably one of the top units in the BC Division.

Once again the game plan is simple for the Cats tonight: Stay disciplined, and play to your strengths. The Cougars have outshot their opposition 11 times this season, and seem to be quietly gaining some confidence. They've won three of their last four games, and are definitely making some positive strides in all areas. Can they keep it going tonight? Time will tell.

2011-11-12T10:39:00.001-08:00

After posting a 4-1 victory last night in Everett, the Prince George Cougars will aim for their third victory in a row when they duke it out once again with the Everett Silvertips.

Overview:

The Silvertips have now lost six straight and are ranked fifth in the US Division. Their record is 4-14-0-3.

Who’s Up Front:

Right-winger Josh Birkholz did his part last night to try and spark the Silvertips offense. Birkholz had an assist on Austin Adam’s goal, and was easily the most consistent offensive threat for the Silvertips. He’s got speed, and smarts and needs to be contained again tonight if the Cougars want to be successful.

Who’s on D:

16-year-old defenceman Austin Adam was fun to watch for the Silvertips. The tall blue-liner notched his first ever WHL goal, and also contributed key minutes for Mark Ferner’s club. Adam does not look the least bit out of place at this level, and should be a player to keep an eye on again tonight.

Who’s in Goal:

19-year-old Kent Simpson was solid for the Silvertips in defeat last night. He stopped 27 of 30 shots that he faced, and did his best to keep his team in the game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Simpson get another crack tonight, but also Austin Lotz will be ready to go if called upon.

X-Factor:

19-year-old forward Cody Fowlie was very noticeable for Everett in last night’s game. Fowlie assisted in the Adam goal and had his moments offensively. Keeping Fowlie in check will be key for the Cougars if they want to grab their third win in a row.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s Prince George Cougars are 2-1 in the month of November and are looking for their third victory in a row. The Cougars outshot Everett 31-19 and were able to control the tempo of the game for the most part last night.

Who’s Up Front:

A breakout game was exactly what 20-year-old Spencer Asuchak needed. Asuchak scored twice and was a solid contributor for the Cougars in last night’s victory. Asuchak and his linemates Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg continue to gel and they could be due for another big night tonight.

Who’s on D:

Martin Marincin played a great game for the Cougars in last night’s victory. He scored once, and added an assist, and perhaps even more importantly he was responsible and effective defensively. Marincin is a game-changer, and last night he showed exactly why the Edmonton Oilers are so high on him.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced and was steady and reliable in victory. Owsley made sure that when his team took the lead, that they kept it, and that’s all you can really ask for. Owsley’s play likely earns him another start tonight, but Dean Clark could easily go with Devon Fordyce too.

X-Factor:

The Prince George Cougars will need all hands on deck again tonight if they want to grab another victory. Tonight I look for the trio of Charles Inglis, Greg Fraser and Caleb Belter to chime in offensively. Inglis has gone two games without a point, and for a player of his skill-level that’s unusual. A big night from Inglis likely means two more points and a ‘W’ for the Cougars tonight in Everett.

Cougars Top the Silvertips 4-1.

2011-11-11T23:43:00.001-08:00

The Prince George Cougars are winners of two straight. Friday night in Everett the Cats got two goals from Spencer Asuchak, and a solid outing from Drew Owsley in a 4-1 win over the Everett Silvertips.

The Cougars had a 2-0 lead after the first period but it was anything but easy. Early in the game the Cougars managed to kill off a full two-minute five-on-three advantage, and were rewarded for their efforts when Troy Bourke found Spencer Asuchak in the high slot. Asuchak made no mistake for his third goal of the season. Later in the period, Cody Carlson redirected a Martin Marincin point shot to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Carlson’s marker came on the power play.

The Cougars increased their lead early in the second period when Martin Marincin lifted a point-shot over the shoulder of Kent Simpson.. Marincin’s second of the season had the Cougars up 3-0 after 40 minutes of play.

Early in the third the Evrett Silvertips found some life. Austin Adam notched the first goal of his WHL career at 6:39 to put Everett within two. The Tips continued to press and Drew Owsley made a series of difficult saves to keep the Cougars up by two. Owsley finished with 18 saves on 19 shots faced.

Towards the end, the Cougars managed to settle things down. Spencer Asuchak added an empty-netter to give the Cougars the 4-1 victory, and their sixth victory of the 2011-2012 campaign.

The Cougars outshot Everett 31-19 and finished one-for-three on the power play. Everett finished zero-for-three on their opportunities.

The Cougars and Silvertips go at it again tomorrow night at 7::00.

Cougars - Silvertips Preview.

2011-11-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

Firstly I'd like to take a recognize those who bravely have fought for our freedoms and those who continue to do so on a daily basis. Without our troops we may not get to enjoy some of the joys and freedoms that we quite often take for granted. Please take a few minutes today to remember those who have fought for us all.

Now that that's been said, here's the preview for tonight's game.

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Tonight marks the first meeting of the 2011-2012 season between the Prince George Cougars and the Everett Silvertips. These teams are strikingly similar in a lot of ways, and there is no under-estimating the importance of points this weekend.

Overview:

Mark Ferner’s Everett Silvertips have lost five straight games, and are currently fifth in the U.S. Division. The Silvertips come into tonight’s contest with a record of 4-13-0-3.

Who’s Up Front:

With forward Tyler Maxwell in limbo awaiting a trade, the offensive responsibility is now on the shoulders of 20-year-old right-winger josh Birkbholz. Last season Birkholz managed 29 points, and has already reached the 20-point-mark this season.

Who’s on D:

With defenceman Ryan Murray still battling an injury the Prince George Cougars can expect to see a lot 20-year-old Brennan Yadlowski. Yadlowski has tallied eight points this season, and has provided Mark Ferner with reliable minutes.

Who’s in Goal:

19-year-old Kent Simpson has seen a bulk of the goaltending duty so far this season for Everett. Simpson’s record is 4-10-0-2 but his numbers are strong. His goals against is 3.61 but his save percentage is at .910. The other goaltending option for Everett is 16-year-old Austin Lotz. Lotz is still searching for win number one in his WHL career, and he may get that opportunity either tonight or tomorrow for the Tips.

X-Factor:

19-year-old Ryan Harrison is a player who has managed a very productive WHL career to this point. Harrison has 150 career points, and has nine this season with Everett. With the absence of Maxwell and Murray, a guy like Harrison will need to be a bigger factor for Everett if they want to win tonight.

Overview:

Dean Clark’s team is coming off a 3-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg each had a goal and an assist while Devon Fordyce earned his first WHL Victory in Goal. The Cougars record is 5-12-0-1 through 18 games.

Who’s Up Front:

The trio of Troy Bourke, Alex Forsberg and Spencer Asuchak had a breakout game Saturday against Kamloops. All three got on the score-sheet, and as the game wore on, it seemed like their chemistry was building. Asuchak provides the size and muscle for the likes of Bourke and Forsberg who are gifted play-makers.

Who’s on D:

What a difference it was for the Cougars having all of their defenceman healthy and able to play on Saturday. Martin Marincin’s return to the lineup made the Cougars instantly better on the man-advantage, and I look for Marincin to be a big factor this weekend. The 19-year-old Slovak blueliner has eight points this season.

Who’s in Goal:

Given that there are three games in three nights upcoming for the Cougars I would expect to see both Drew Owsley and Devon Fordyce get some playing time. Drew Owsley is 4-10-0-1 on the season while Fordyce is 1-2.

X-Factor:

When the Prince George Cougars are disciplined they are successful. It seems like a no-brainer, but it’s especially important for the Cougars to come out tonight and play a disciplined, smart game. They’ve had success on the road when they’ve blocked shots and stayed responsible defensively. If they do that tonight, they’ll be just fine.

Blogging From Everett.

2011-11-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

The Prince George Cougars have safely arrived in Washington State.

We crossed the border successfully this morning at around 8:00 AM, and after a breakfast in Bellingham, we have touched down in Everett where the Cougars are currently practicing.

Given the fact that I'm only 18 games into my WHL broadcasting career, there is still plenty that I have yet to see and experience. The Comcast Arena in Everett, WA is one of them.

I've heard nothing but good things about Everett. Apparently the atmosphere and energy in this building is awesome, and as I look around here it's easy to see why.

Even though I've never seen a game from this building, I am no stranger to Everett, or Washington State as a whole. Having grown up nearby in B.C. I have forged a lot of friendships in the Northern Washington area, and I am likely going to get to see some of them during my weekend in Everett. Hopefully they'll be treated to a couple of Cougars victories against their beloved Silvertips.

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Heading into this weekend the Prince George Cougars are a healthy hockey team. Barring anything unexpected, the Cougars will have 25 eligible players ready to go tomorrow night. This is why practice is so important. A healthy lineup forces everybody to pick it up a notch, and if a player gets caught dogging it in practice, chances are good that he'll be sitting in the stands for games. Coach Dean Clark has not hesitated to sit players who he feels were not playing up to their usual standard.

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Even though it's only early/mid November the statistical importance of this weekend is quite clear. The Silvertips and Cougars are tied in the Western Conference standings with 11 points each, and if the Cougars can head back North with three-or-four points, it will help build their confidence, and also help get them back into the thick of things in the B.C. Division.

Right now the Kelowna Rockets are one point ahead of the Cougars in the B.C. Division standings, and you know that the Cougars would feel great about themselves should they be ahead of Kelowna when all is said and done this weekend.

In saying that, Prince George Cougars Assistant Coach Jason Becker brought up a good point yesterday during an interview. He stressed the fact that the coaching staff is not concerning themselves with 'who is where' in the standings. The primary focus of the Cougars is simply improving their record, and it doesn't matter who it's against or what the circumstances may be along the way.

If you win games, the standings take care of themselves.

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A couple of observations from Cougars practice this morning:

- Both Jarrett Fontaine and Jake Mykitiuk can really shoot the puck. These two continue to prove on a daily basis that they belong at this level, and they will not be intimidated. Jake Mykitiuk finished with the most votes in my recent blog-poll for Cougars unsung hero through the first 18 games. A well deserved winner to this point of the season, in my opinion.

- Drew Owsley has made some big-time saves in practice today. I think that Drew Owsley could be poised for a big weekend. In all four of his victories this season he has been nothing short of brilliant.

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I'll be posting my Friday preview either tomorrow morning or later this afternoon. Enjoy your day, and don't forget to tune in to the broadcasts this weekend.

Thanks for stopping by.

- DO

Cougars to Host Alumni Golf Tournament.

2011-11-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

Prince George, B.C. - The Prince George Cougars in conjunction with the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation are pleased to announce the inaugural Prince George Cougars/Hospital Pro Am Golf Tournament will be taking place on Friday, August 17th at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club. The event will also include an auction, a meet and greet and a social on Thursday, August 16th.

“This event has been in the works for a long time,” said Prince George Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “I want to thank Don Gowan, Ken Goss, Jason Becker and Gary Samis who have all come forward to help spear-head this event.”

Numerous Prince George Cougars alumni will be on hand to participate in the event including one of the Cougars most notable alumni defencemen, Dan Hamhuis.

“Playing in Prince George was a great experience for me,” said Hamhuis. “I look forward to the chance to come back to the community and be a part of the first annual Cougars alumni golf tournament,”

Dallas Thompson adds, “With great pleasure we welcome Nick Drazenovic, Eric Hunter, Garrett Thiessen, and a long list of others who are all excited to come back at the same time to see one another and to help give back to a community that helped them.”

“We are ecstatic to be partners with the Cougars in this alumni tournament,” said Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Don Gowan. “Not only will it bring some great players from the NHL and the Cougars past back to Prince George but it will also help us raise much needed funds to help us enhance healthcare in our community in a big way.”

“This is a great opportunity for Prince George citizens to see stars and future stars of the NHL,” said organizer Gary Samis, a long-time Prince George Cougars supporter who recently retired from Petro Canada. “At the same time it also provides a great opportunity to support our local hospital.”

Dan O’Connor
Broadcasting, Corporate Sales and Media Relations
Prince George Cougars
PH 250-561-0783
Fax 250-561-0743
www.pgcougars.com

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Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation
1475 Edmonton Street, Prince George BC - V2M 1S2
Tel 250-565-2515
Fax 250-565-2595
E Mail spiritofthenorth@northernhealth.ca
www.spiritofthenorth.ca

A Memorable Weekend for Fordyce.

2011-11-09T09:47:00.001-08:00

What a weekend for Prince George Cougars rookie goaltender Devon Fordyce. The 2009 Cougars sixth-round pick earned his first ever WHL victory, and did so against one of the league’s elite teams.

After a 5-1 loss Friday to Kamloops, Fordyce was called into action on Saturday by head-coach Dean Clark. It was up to the 17-year-old Fordyce to lead the Cougars at home against the B.C. Division leaders.

Before the game, Dean Clark said that all Fordyce had to do was keep things simple, and remain calm.

Fordyce’s confidence was tested early after Kamloops scored 3:30 into the game on their first shot. It would have been easy for Fordyce to cave under the early stress, but he bounced back and was flawless from there.

“Their first goal actually helped settle me down a bit,” said Fordyce during the post-game show Saturday. “You never want to let a goal in, but at least I was into the game.”

From there, Fordyce stopped all 26 remaining shots that he faced and the offense rose to the occasion and helped his cause.

Brock Hirsche scored at 5:38 of the first period to tie the score at one, and then Troy Bourke notched a power-play marker in the second period to give Prince George a lead that they would not surrender.

After being badly outshot through two periods, Kamloops came on big-time in the third. They fired 13 shots at Fordyce who turned them all away. He made big stops on Colin Smith, Dylan Willick and JC Lipon to keep his team ahead.

Alex Forsberg put the game away with an empty-netter, and Fordyce was able to celebrate his first WHL victory.

“It’s great for his confidence moving forward,” said Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “Devon has worked hard and has been patient, and it was nice to see him rewarded.”

Drew Owsley remains the ‘go-to guy’ in goal for Prince George, but a little healthy competition is a good thing in hockey, and Fordyce’s success can only mean good things for the Prince George Cougars moving forward.

Cougars Down the Blazers 3-1.

2011-11-05T22:26:00.001-07:00

Prince George Cougars rookie goaltender Devon Fordyce earned his first career WHL victory thanks to a solid 26-save outing, and the Prince George Cougars defeated the Kamloops Blazers 3-1. Troy Bourke and Alex Forsberg each had two points in victory.

The Cougars trailed 1-0 early when JC Lipon converted on a nice back-door pass from Colin Smith. The goal from Kamloops came at 3:30 of the first period.

But the Cougars bounced back just two minutes and change later. Brock Hirsche grabbed a bouncing puck in the high slot and fired one underneath Cam Lanigan for his first of the 2011-2012 campaign. The Cougars skated into the locker room tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, but were outshooting the Blazers 15-6.

The Cougars took the lead in the second period on the power play when Alex Forsberg found a sneaking Troy Bourke in front. Bourke one-timed the pass home past Lanigan for his fifth of the season, and the Prince George Cougars took a 2-1 lead into the third period. The Cougars were outshooting Kamloops 24-16 through two periods.

The third period was a little more back-and-forth with Kamloops holding a decided edge in shots at 13-7. But Devon Fordyce stopped them all including a Kamloops five-on-three man advantage. Alex Forsberg wrapped up the game with an empty-netter and the Cougars notched their fifth win of the season.

The Cougars improve their mark to 5-12-0-1 on the season and defeated Kamloops for a second time. The Cougars finished the game one-for-six on the power play while Kamloops finished zero-for-three.

Next up for the Cougars: a southern road-swing to Everett for a Friday and Saturday weekend series, followed by a Sunday battle in Vancouver.

Cougars - Blazers (Part Two)

2011-11-05T14:43:00.001-07:00

After a 5-1 setback last night at home, the Prince George Cougars are back at it tonight against the Kamloops Blazers. The Cougars were impressive through 35 minutes of last night’s contest but were simply unable to regroup after a late second period goal from Brendan Ranford.

Overview:

The Kamloops Blazers continue to roll. They are 12-4 and currently hold the top spot in the BC Division with 22 points. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games and have scored 67 times through 16 games this season.

Who’s Up Front:

17-year-old Tim Bozon was a big-time threat for Kamloops last night. Bozon struck twice and the puck at time seemed like a magnet on his stick. Bozon had a lot of help from linemates Colin Smith and JC Lipon, but his two goals really helped pave the way for Kamloops in their victory.

Who’s on D:

Defensively the Cougars were strong one-through-six in last night’s game. One of the most impressive d-man though was 20-year-old Josh Caron. Caron only has four points this season, but is a +9 and is as tough as they come. He had a spirited fight with Campbell Elynuik, and logged some key minutes for Guy Charron when the game was close.

Who’s in Goal:

Goaltender Cole Cheveldave has now had two strong outings in a row against the Prince George Cougars. Cheveldave stopped 35 of 36 shots he faced in last night’s game, and came up big for his team in the first period when Kamloops were under siege. Guy Charron may elect to go back with Cheveldave tonight, or may decide to give Cam Lanigan the start. Lanigan has won five games this season while Chevedave has won six.

X-Factor:

The Blazers showed last night that if they go on the power play they are lethal. They moved the puck around very quickly, and seemed to have a different look every time they were out there. The Cougars will need to minimize the Blazers’ opportunities on the power play and do their best to win the special-teams war.

Overview:

The Prince George Cougars were marvelous through the first half of last night's game, but had the wind taken out of their sails after the Blazers' second goal. The Cougars are still a little snake-bitten offensively and are only averaging two goals per game through 17 games this season. Tonight could very well be the night that they break out offensively given the number of quality chances they seem to be getting on a regular basis.

Who’s Up Front:

The most consistent trio of forwards last night were Jake Mykitiuk, Caleb Belter and Campbell Elynuik. While it’s great to see those three contributing offensively, they are not necessarily the players looked upon to produce consistent offense. The Cougars will need a similar outing tonight from Mykitiuk, Belter and Elynuik, but also need the other three lines to match the intensity of the aforementioned trio. The Cougars are going to need to find a way to score more goals because winning 1-0 and 2-1 most nights is very difficult to do in the WHL.

Who’s on D:

Martin Marincin returns to the lineup tonight after serving a four-game suspension that he received October 25th in Vancouver. This is great news for Dean Clark who now has a full 25-man roster to choose from when it comes to tonight’s lineup. Marincin’s eight points have him tied for third in team scoring.

Who’s in Goal:

Drew Owsley didn’t get a ton of help or luck in last night’s loss to Kamloops. Dean Clark has every reason to go back with Owsley tonight, who has shown throughout the season that he’s able to bounce back from less-than-stellar outings. That being said, Devon Fordyce is waiting in the wings, and could be in line to get the call against Kamloops. Either way, the goaltender tonight will need to be big, and make all of the easy stops, and maybe one or two that most goalies shouldn’t make. When a team is struggling to score goals, the onus is even more on the goaltender to rise up and make big saves.

X-Factor:

Troy Bourke played center in last night’s game and I thought he performed very well. He was good on face-offs and did a good job down low with the puck. Bourke hasn’t scored a goal since October 12th in Swift Current, and could be due to break out offensively in tonight’s game with Kamloops.

Searching for Puck Luck.

2011-11-05T00:31:00.000-07:00

Last night was a weird night.

It was another one of those nagging reminders of how cruel the sport of hockey and sports in general can be sometimes. It would be easy to look at the box score and see a 5-1 Kamloops final and assume that the BC Division leading Blazers took it to the fifth place Cougars rather easily.

Wrong.

Let me preface these thoughts by first saying that I'm not taking anything away from the Kamloops Blazers. They earned their breaks, they took advantage on their opportunities, and ultimately earned the two points against Prince George. They're a first place team for a reason and this piece is not going to cry foul on their part whatsoever.

That being said, sooner or later the Prince George Cougars players, coaches, and fans (don't forget broadcasters) have to wonder out loud, "When is the other shoe going to drop." When are things going to start going our way?

The Prince George Cougars were awesome in the first period. They took it to Kamloops and out-chanced, out-hit and out-performed the BC Division's top statistical team.

Early in the second period the Blazers strike on a two-on-one where Tim Bozon essentially passed the puck to himself after his attempted pass goes off Jesse Forsberg's stick and right back to him. Bozon was awesome for Kamloops, but surely even he'd admit that luck was on his side when his pass found it's way directly back to him.

Even with the 1-1 score, the Cougars respond well, continue to push hard, and unfortunately can't bury on their opportunities in Period Two. Fast forward to the end of the second when an innocent shoot-in by Marek Hrbas turns into disaster for Prince George.

The puck bounces off the glass and hits the Cougars goal-post and right to the stick of Brendan Ranford who knocks it in to make it 2-1.

If you're the Prince George Cougars, how could you not be demoralized by such poor misfortune. You've carried the play. You've been peppering Cole Cheveldave with quality shots all night, and then you head into the intermission down 2-1 after 40 minutes ultimately becauase of a freak-bounce off the glass.

Shortly after the 2-1 goal, the Cougars got into penalty-trouble, which greatly contributed to their demise in the third period when the penalties continued. A couple more power play goals and ultimately the game is over at 5-1.

The beautiful thing about this situation is that there's another chance. Fortunately for the Cougars they have a chance to put last night's bad luck behind them and get things going again tonight against Kamloops.

Last weekend after a 4-2 loss, Dean Clark's team responded very well on Saturday and defeated Don Hay's Vancouver Giants. There is no reason why the same can't be done tonight.

If the Cougars continue their strong work-ethic, puck-luck is certain to come their way. Sooner or later the shots are going to start going in, and I've always maintained that once this team has a big offensive night, the goals are going to start coming in bunches. A little bit of confidence can go a long way in this league.

This team deserves your support, and they deserve better than what their record indicates. Tonight for the first time they'll have a full-lineup going for them, and an opportunity to showcase their true potential against a rival opponent.

I've been fired up for this game since the second I woke up this morning and I anticipate an enjoyable night tonight at CN Centre between two BC Division Rivals with no love loss for one another. Here's hoping you can make Cougars hockey a part of your Saturday night in one way shape or form.

See you at the rink.

Nov 4 Photos

2011-11-04T23:15:00.001-07:00

All Photos By: Julie Larson

Caleb Belter Was a Goal Short of Gordie Howe Hat Trick.

Campbell Elynuik Played A Strong Game.

Reid Jackson scored his First as a Cougar tonight.

Jesse Forsberg Tees Up.