He’s performed like a “Stud” on a team that has played like a Dud. Drew Owsley has been the most consistent, most outstanding and most valuable player on the Prince George Cougars during the 2011-12 season.

 

Granted, the cellar dwelling Cougars have been an underachieving team, with plenty of blame to go around, but none of that should be placed on the shoulders of their overage goalie.
“He’s been a guy that’s been there for us game in and game out. Drew gives it his all and he is a great example for the rest of our players for what we need in this organization,” said Cougars Head Coach Dean Clark.

 

Owsley’s stats don’t even begin to tell his story, although on a team with an awful record, (23-45-0-2) they are satisfactory. In a league high 63 games, the 5-foot-8, 170 pound product of Lethbridge has a 3.14 GAA, .905 save percentage with three shutouts and a record of 22-37-0-1.

“Obviously it is frustrating when you are not getting the team success but I have been pretty happy with the way I have played and have been proud of myself and just kept battling all year,” said Owsley. “It’s tough when you don’t have many leads in the game. The margin of error is so small so you have to be focused for the whole 60."

 

The Cougars have not only scored the fewest goals in the WHL (158) but once they get behind they don’t have the offence to come back which has put added pressure on Owsley. The Cats are only 4-35-0-1 when the opponent scores first, 2-23-0-1 when trailing after one period and 1-38 when trailing after two periods. In addition, the Cougars have the worst power-play in the league.

“He’s had his times when he has been pretty frustrated. Him and I have had a lot of talk just about how he’s trying to stay focused and gives us his best every night which he’s done. I can’t ask any more of the kid,” said Clark.

 

Owsley was acquired by Prince George in an off season deal with the Tri-City Americans. The Cougars traded 19-year old goalie Ty Rimmer plus 3^rd and 5^th round bantam picks in the transaction.

In three seasons with the Americans, Owsley posted a .911 save percentage with a 2.68 GAA and a record of 76-33-2-2. In the playoffs, he improved his play and backstopped the Americans to the 2010 Western Conference crown where he was voted MVP. He is the Americans playoffs career leader in games played (29), wins (18), save percentage (.920) and shut-outs (3).

 

“We had planned for this to be a pretty special season,” stated Clark. “We went out and got Drew and thought that was the final piece we needed to have good success, and it just hasn’t been that way.”
While the undrafted Owsley contemplates his future, he can’t help but pay attention to what Rimmer and the Americans are doing this season challenging for top spot in the entire WHL. Playing behind a much better defensive team, Rimmer has a .922 save percentage (2^nd in the league), and a 2.45 GAA (2nd in the league).

 

 

“I would be lying if I hadn’t thought about it, but it kind of wears on you a bit. In the long run you try not to focus on that and focus on our team and I think I have done that pretty well. In Tri, I didn’t get that much credit I don’t think. Here I have come to a team that we’re not as good and maybe I stole a few games and hopefully that will help me at the next level,” said Owsley.

 

There have been home games this season (I.E. the 3-1 win over Seattle March 7^th) I was dumbfounded that Owsley was not picked as one of the three stars. The only explanation I believe is that his rock solid play is taken for granted.

 

The one downside to Owsley’s solid performance is that the Cougars have not developed 17-year old back-up Devon Fordyce much since he has been used sparingly.

 

Just two seasons ago the Cougars had an embarrassing 12 wins. I have no hesitation suggesting the Cats may have a similar total this year without “Drew the Glue”, who just turned 21 on Thursday (March 15^th).

Now if Owsley could have found a way to put the puck in the other team’s net, then perhaps the Cougars season would not have come down to a turtle derby for the last playoff spot.

#

 

It may sound outlandish, but it was almost a win-win for everyone at the PG Coliseum on Saturday, including the Penticton Vees. The Vees do not have to carry the pressure of the win streak anymore; looking at their players and coaches, one got the feeling it was a relief that the huge weight was finally off their shoulders. Now even the Vees can turn the page with the start of playoffs.

 

Of course, it was a win for the Spruce Kings and their standing room only crowd of 2,112 (for a third consecutive game). The 5-2 P.G. victory not only halted the Vees Canadian Junior record 42 game win
streak but secured third place and a date with Merritt instead of Penticton in the first round.

 

In addition, Interior Division MVP Paul De Jersey of the Spruce Kings out-duelled Joey Benik of Penticton to win the scoring title (98 points to 96) and the Brett Hull Trophy.

 

Another positive entity for the home team was the play of goalie Ty Swabb, who only made 25 saves in the triumph, but many were of the spectacular variety.

 

This bodes well to have a sharp Swabb with playoffs upcoming. One game doesn’t change perception, the Vees are still overwhelming favorites to win the BCHL crown and even the Royal Bank Cup, but at least for one night there was reason to justify the excitement of the Spruce Kings faithful.

 

 

 

To clarify a statement from last week’s column, Save On Foods has indeed become a major sponsor of the Prince George Spruce Kings, but they also remain a sponsor of the Prince George Cougars.

 

The Chinese government is scrapping a law (under pressure from human rights advocates) that would have allowed authorities to arrest anyone and basically have them disappear without a trace.
In North America, this policy is not needed as these people could be assigned to teams such as the Houston Astros, Buffalo Bills, Charlotte Bobcats, Columbus Blue Jackets or the Prince George Cougars.

CFL teams say they can’t afford free agent QB Peyton Manning. Their accountants agree, stating that Preston would be more in their budget.

Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver http://www.dailycomedy.com/u/tcdag52

 

 

 

Peyton Manning has met with the Broncos. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift criticized Bronco receivers for dropped Tebow passes.

 

 

At one Illinois University, football players who didn’t follow the rules faced an unconventional punishment: They were given porridge for breakfast at a recent banquet. Apparently, a coed named Goldilocks was found in a players’ bed.

 

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

 

 

The Jets signed Mark Sanchez to a $58.25 million five year contract making him the seventh-highest paid QB in the NFL. Sounds like New York has gone from Linsanity to Insanity.

If some of the New Orleans Saints had rebelled against the pay for defense system would it have been considered Mutiny on the Bounties?

 

Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, Californiawww.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

 

 

 

The NBA fined Knicks guard J.R. Smith $25,000 for posting a photo of a scantily clad woman on his Twitter account. Inquiring minds want to know: Who got shot by J.R.?

 

Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sidelinechatter/

 

 

Tiger Woods withdrew from the Cadillac Championship with pain in his left Achilles tendon.
There is no word yet on his condition or which woman used a 9-iron to hit him in the ankle.

Comedy writer Jerry Perisho http://monologuewriter.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

New research from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests even moderate consumption of red meat — as little as one serving a day — poses a more serious health risk than first thought. The report says men should now shoot for a body with abs like bean curds. The authors of the report were going to release their findings earlier but no one had the strength to deliver it.

A municipal task force aiming to make housing more affordable in Vancouver released its first set of recommendations on Monday. Officials are warning the cost of housing will affect the aged, chronically poor and CFL rookies.

 

 

Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgaryhttp://smacksport.blogspot.com

 

 

 

A Tunisian court has fined a magazine publisher $655 for printing an ad featuring of one of the country’s soccer players using his hands to cup his girlfriend’s naked breasts. This gives a whole new meaning to the term “hand ball.”

 

Comedy writer Marc Ragovin of New York

  

A British doctor is warning Olympic athletes against shaking hands because of the germs. Doctors from other countries are warning their athletes to brush and floss daily or else they will start to look like the British athletes.

 

Comedy writer Jim Barach  (http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.com/) 

 

 

A golden retriever has become a celebrity in China for the way it guards a bicycle. Yet some say its bark is worse than its bike.

 

Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com