Cariboo Cougars Fall Short
Burnaby, B.C. — The Vancouver NW Giants have earned their fourth straight BCMML title and third straight against the Cariboo Cougars with a 2-1 win Saturday night and the series sweep.
The two teams entered the second period scoreless before the Giants tallied twice to take a 2-0 lead into the final frame.
Late in the second, Cougars defenceman Josh Connolly was ejected after a check from behind penalty leaving the Cats with just 16 skaters already starting short with forward Chase Astorino serving a one-game match penalty for an erroneous late third period check from behind penalty Friday night.
The Cougars played one of their best periods of the year in the third Saturday with Brett Roulston finally beating Giants netminder Liam Smith midway through the period. Despite a strong push late in the period with several scoring chances the Giants were able to withstand the pressure holding on to the one goal lead to earn their fifth championship in six years.
The game was the last for eight graduating Cougars in Colby Braaten, Brett Roulston, Chase Astorino, Tanner Fjellstrom, Nathan Craft, Hayden-James Berra, Colton Manning, and David Readman.
Comments
Best group of kids ever. Unbelievable chemistry. Most polite, respectful, classy, and true team players you could hope for. Some true role models now and in the future. Tough to see the season end, but a lifetime of experience and memories will last a lifetime.
Great job boys! So proud of you
I would rather watch these young players play then the big squad anyday…fast hard hitting hockey…these young men skate their butts off unlike the big squad…I think the big guys should be made to come and watch some of these games and it just might remind them of what hockey should be played like….
I watched both of these games online and this sounds so tired, and no one on the team would say it publicly, but they were given the short end of the stick in terms of officiating.
Just before Connolly was tossed, one of the Cougars was blatantly cross-checked in front of the Vancouver net while shooting. No call.
Great team, great coach, great parent group. They deserved better than they got down south.
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