Monday afternoon in St. Albert the Prince George Cougars dropped a 6-5 decision in overtime to the Calgary Hitmen. Cody Sylvester tallied in the final minute of overtime to give Calgary the victory.
The Hitmen led 2-1 after one. Brady Brassart and Greg Chase tallied 26 seconds apart to give the Hitmen a 2-0 lead, but the Cougars responded soon enough. Alex Forsberg notched his second goal of the weekend, to make the score 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Calgary increased their lead to 3-1 just 1:39 into the second when Ben Wilson converted. But Caleb Belter responded for Prince George just 17-seconds later. Jordan Tkatch then tallied on the power-play to tie the score at 3.
Just Kirsch gave Calgary their lead back at 12:42 (also on the power-play) but with only three seconds left in the second, Linden Springer grabbed the equalizer, and the Cats and Hitmen were even at four with only 20 minutes to go.
Prince George grabbed their first lead of the weekend at 12:33 of the third when Jake Mykitiuk buried his first of the preseason. But Trevor Cheek tied it for Calgary at 17:03 of the third, and after 60 minutes the game was even.
Cody Sylvester ended the game with just 28 seconds left in overtime.
After two games in St. Albert the Cougars end up with a record of 0-1-1-0.
But regardless of wins and losses there is plenty of reason for optimism. The Cats dressed a very young lineup during both games this weekend, and Joseph Carvahlo, Chase Witala, Jordan Tkatch and Jake Mykitiuk all had two points against Calgary.
After the game, the Cougars reassigned three players to their Midget AAA programs. Goaltender Brett Zarowny was reassigned to Leduc where he'll have a chance to play a ton of minutes for the Telus Cup hosts. Defenceman Jordan Harris was reassigned to the Prince Albert Mintos while Marc McNulty was reassigned to Medicine Hat's AAA program in Alberta.
The Cougars will be on the ice tomorrow morning at 11 AM for practice.
The Cats are back in action Friday night at home against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
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As a new week approaches, I will post some more personal thoughts later tonight.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Cougars - Hitmen Preview.
This morning the Prince George Cougars take the ice with the Calgary Hitmen. Both teams take the ice searching for their first victory of the pre-season.
Who's Up Front:
Odds are good that the Cougars will get a good look at Jake Virtanen, the first overall selection from the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. Virtanen had quite a day yesterday scoring once and adding a helper against the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Cats will need to keep a close eye on Virtanen if they want to earn two preseason points this morning.
Who's on D:
17-year-old Kyle Schmidt had an assist in yesterday's game with Medicine Hat and also was a +2 for the game. If the Hitmen are going to improve upon last season's record, players like Schmidt are going to have to reach the next level of their development.
Who's in Goal:
Yesterday the Hitmen used the tandem of Mack Shields and Mike Snider, and I'd expect that one or both will get some action against the Cats today. According to the stats, Snider allowed all three goals for Calgary during the 4-2 loss to the Tigers. The fourth goal was scored into an empty-net.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars are coming off a 2-1 setback to the Red Deer Rebels. They managed 30 shots on goal, but only had one goal to show for their efforts. I'm sure the coaching staff is hoping for a similar output of shots, with some better results.
Who's Up Front:
Jordan Tkatch and Jarrett Fontaine both drew assists on Alex Forsberg's powerplay goal. Tkatch and Fontaine are vastly different in size and style, but they compliment each other well on the ice. Tkatch can use his size to draw defenders away and create room, which enables Fontaine to be more creative with the puck. Add a play-maker like Alex Forsberg to the mix and you've got the makings of a dangerous line.
Who's on D:
So far so good for Prince George's 2011 First-Round pick Jordan Harris. The defenceman from Prince Albert has shown that he's able to play smart defensive hockey and has not disappointed in his first camp. Given that he's the only 96-born player left at Cougars camp, Harris may only have one or two more opportunities to strut his stuff before he's sent home. I look for Harris to be a positive presence on the ice for Prince George today.
Who's in Goal:
The Cougars management was very pleased with the trio of Devon Fordyce, Tyler Santos and Brett Zarowny yesterday, even in a 2-1 loss. Which of these three will out-last the others? It's another game, and another opportunity.
X-Factor:
Chase Witala has had a great camp for Prince George, and offensively he's got a ton of upside. I look at today's game as a great opportunity for Witala to breakout and contribute on the score-sheet.
Who's Up Front:
Odds are good that the Cougars will get a good look at Jake Virtanen, the first overall selection from the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. Virtanen had quite a day yesterday scoring once and adding a helper against the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Cats will need to keep a close eye on Virtanen if they want to earn two preseason points this morning.
Who's on D:
17-year-old Kyle Schmidt had an assist in yesterday's game with Medicine Hat and also was a +2 for the game. If the Hitmen are going to improve upon last season's record, players like Schmidt are going to have to reach the next level of their development.
Who's in Goal:
Yesterday the Hitmen used the tandem of Mack Shields and Mike Snider, and I'd expect that one or both will get some action against the Cats today. According to the stats, Snider allowed all three goals for Calgary during the 4-2 loss to the Tigers. The fourth goal was scored into an empty-net.
Overview:
The Prince George Cougars are coming off a 2-1 setback to the Red Deer Rebels. They managed 30 shots on goal, but only had one goal to show for their efforts. I'm sure the coaching staff is hoping for a similar output of shots, with some better results.
Who's Up Front:
Jordan Tkatch and Jarrett Fontaine both drew assists on Alex Forsberg's powerplay goal. Tkatch and Fontaine are vastly different in size and style, but they compliment each other well on the ice. Tkatch can use his size to draw defenders away and create room, which enables Fontaine to be more creative with the puck. Add a play-maker like Alex Forsberg to the mix and you've got the makings of a dangerous line.
Who's on D:
So far so good for Prince George's 2011 First-Round pick Jordan Harris. The defenceman from Prince Albert has shown that he's able to play smart defensive hockey and has not disappointed in his first camp. Given that he's the only 96-born player left at Cougars camp, Harris may only have one or two more opportunities to strut his stuff before he's sent home. I look for Harris to be a positive presence on the ice for Prince George today.
Who's in Goal:
The Cougars management was very pleased with the trio of Devon Fordyce, Tyler Santos and Brett Zarowny yesterday, even in a 2-1 loss. Which of these three will out-last the others? It's another game, and another opportunity.
X-Factor:
Chase Witala has had a great camp for Prince George, and offensively he's got a ton of upside. I look at today's game as a great opportunity for Witala to breakout and contribute on the score-sheet.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Cougars Falls 2-1 to Red Deer in Preseason Opener.
Sunday afternoon in St. Albert, the Prince George Cougars dropped a 2-1 decision to the Red Deer Rebels. Bryon Froese led the way with two goals for Red Deer, while Alex Forsberg responded to Prince George.
Penalties were a real problem for both squads. Prince George managed to kill 10 of 11 penalties while Red Deer killed eight of nine. Red Deer had seven power-plays in the first period alone. The Cats had four.
Froese got Red Deer on the board just 34 seconds into the game, and added his second at 18:19 of the second period.
Alex Forsberg got Prince George on the board early in the third when he converted on the man-advantage. Jarrett Fontaine and Jordan Tkatch drew assists on Forsberg's goal.
All three Cougars netminders played well in defeat. Tyler Santos, Devon Fordyce and Brett Zarowny each saw 20 minutes of action. Zarowny stopped Tyson Ness in the third period to keep the score at 2-1. Prince George outshot Red Deer 30-26.
The Cats are back in action tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM local time. They'll square off with the Calgary Hitmen.
Cougars/Rebels Preview.
The Prince George Cougars will take the ice for the first time in pre-season play this morning at 10:00 AM local time. The Cats go head-to-head with the Red Deer Rebels who finished second in the Eastern Conference during the 2010-2011 Regular Season.
Since I am not in St. Albert this weekend, I don't have a first-hand look at Red Deer's lineup for the game. But one would think that the Rebels will be dressing a lot of younger players in order to showcase the future. During the regular season these previews will involve a detailed look at both squads, but for today and tomorrow I'm going to focus solely on the Cats and what we can hope to expect from their lineup.
Who's Up Front:
The Prince George Cougars have a bevy of young, talented forwards who will be on display this weekend in St. Albert. The obvious name to keep an eye on is Alex Forsberg. The 16-year-old is looking to be a full-time player in 2011-2012, and assuming he plays to his strengths he has a great opportunity to do so. Add the likes of Chase Witala, Jordan Tkatch and Jarrett Fontaine and Jake Mykitiuk to the mix, and you've got a lot of young players that can put the puck in the net.
Who's on D:
Defensively the Cats have some tough decisions to make, and those decisions will solely depend on the performance of certain D-Men throughout the pre-season. Marc McNulty gets his first chance to strut his stuff in a game situation since he signed a WHL contract with the team. He's hard to miss out there, standing 6'5." Michael Mylchreest, Raymond Grewal, Joseph Carvahlo and Jordan Harris are all younger d-men that the fans should keep an eye on.
Who's in Goal:
This weekend fans will get a chance to see Tyler Santos (94), Devon Fordyce (94) and Brett Zarowny (95). All three of these goalies had a great Training Camp, and all three (in my opinion) have a legit shot at cracking the opening night roster. Whoever plays the best and most consistent hockey during the pre-season will likely start the season as the backup for Drew Owsley.
X-Factor:
This weekend, a lot of attention is going to be paid to some of the 94 and 93-born players. Today I look for John Odgers to step up and play a big role. He's got some WHL experience, and will no doubt be given every opportunity to succeed. If he can play a gritty, "in your face" style he'll give the coaching staff a lot to think about.
I will be tweeting results from a far this morning, so make sure you keep checking my twitter feed for the latest details from St. Albert!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Cats Deal Rigby to Kelowna.
A trade to announce:
The Prince George Cougars have traded the rights to 1994-born forward Carter Rigby and a conditional 2014 sixth-round pick in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft to the Kelowna Rockets. In exchange, the Cougars receive Kelowna’s third-round pick in the 2012 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.
The Prince George Cougars have traded the rights to 1994-born forward Carter Rigby and a conditional 2014 sixth-round pick in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft to the Kelowna Rockets. In exchange, the Cougars receive Kelowna’s third-round pick in the 2012 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
"Meet the Pack"
The Prince George Cougars, Pine Centre Mall, 99.3 The Drive and the Prince George Citizen invite you to come down to Pine Centre Mall on Sept 25th between 1 and 2pm to “Meet the Pack.” The Cougars team will be on hand to play ball hockey with children 12 and under, and be available to sign autographs in the mall between Ben Moss and Anne Louise Jewellers. “This is the perfect time of year for our fans to meet the team, and get to know them on a one to one basis,” said Prince George Cougars Vice President Brandi Brodsky. “We have an exciting season ahead of us, and we want our fans to have the opportunity to really be involved with their home town team.”
Pine Centre Mall will also be holding a $50 Gift Card draw at the autograph station.
In conjunction with the Cougars visit to the Centre, PinE-Club members will have the opportunity to enter a draw for a youth and two friends to have lunch with two players and receive five tickets to the Cougars’ home opener on Sept. 30th against the Victoria Royals.
It is never too late to join the E-Club at www.pinecentremall.com.
Klippenstein Signs Extension.
The Prince George Cougars have signed Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel Wade Klippenstein to a two-year contract extension.
Two years ago, it was clear that the Prince George Cougars needed to make changes. One of those changes involved a complete overhaul of the team's scouting staff. Enter Wade Klippenstein. Klippenstein has worked tirelessly over the past two seasons to improve the team's scouting staff, protected list, and outlook for the future.
“We’re pleased to have a new deal in place with Wade,” said Prince George Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “He’s done an outstanding job with assembling his staff and with his first two Bantam Drafts.”
Thompson is very pleased with Klippenstein’s efforts over the past two seasons. The 1995 and 1996-born draft-picks have shown well at recent Training Camps, and Thompson credits Klippenstein and the scouting staff for the progress the Cougars have made in recent years.
“It is exciting to already see the rewards of our entire scouting staff's efforts,” said Klippenstein."I'm very grateful for the opportunity to continue building a winning team in Prince George"
Prior to his arrival in Prince George, Klippenstein worked in the Western Hockey League as a Head Scout for the Moose Jaw Warriors and as Head Coach for the Prince Albert Raiders.
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