Blazers 5 – Cougars 2
Friday night in Kamloops the Prince George Cougars were eliminated from post-season contention after a 5-2 loss to the Kamloops Blazers. Brendan Ranford and Tim Bozon combined for three goals and seven points for Kamloops while the Cougars countered with third period goals from Ryan Hanes and Tanner Lishchynsky.
Kamloops took an early lead just 2:44 into the game when Kale Kessy buried his 20th of the season. Colin Smith set the whole thing up with a nice pass from behind the Cougars net.
Mid-way through the first Kamloops added to their lead when Chase Souto scored off a rebound. Goaltender Mac Engel made the initial save off of Cole Ully, but Souto got to the rebound first and converted his 15th of the season. Mac Engel left the game with an injury that took place in the second following Souto’s goal. After Souto scored, he accidently collided with the sprawling Engel. Engel left the game and did not return.
Brett Zarowny entered the game but did not face a single shot for the remaining 9:15 of the first period.
Brendan Ranford made it 3-0 Kamloops at 5:51 of the second off a rush from the left wing. Just a minute and 36 seconds later Tim Bozon scored his first of two on the night.
Bozon would then add a short-handed marker at the 12:30 mark to give Kamloops a 5-0 lead after two periods.
Towards the middle of the third period the Cougars were able to draw a couple penalties that both resulted in power play goals. First it was Ryan Hanes who shoveled a Jordan Harris rebound through Cole Cheveldave for his seventh of the season. It was a special moment for the Kamloops product and former Blazer who was playing in his final WHL game in his hometown.
Less than a minute later the Cougars struck again. This time it was Tanner Lishchynsky who tipped home a Jordan Harris point shot for his third of the season.
Kamloops finished with a 27-23 edge in the shots, and though the Blazers scored once shorthanded, they were unsuccessful on all four of their power play chances. The Cougars went two-for-five on their power play opportunities.
Even though the Everett Silvertips lost 4-1 in Victoria, the Cougars loss keeps them four points back of eighth place with just one game remaining in their season – Meaning that the Prince George Cougars are eliminated from playoff contention.
The Cougars will wrap up their 2012-2013 regular season on Saturday night wit ha rematch against Kamloops.
Comments
Everybody give Thompson a round of applause for failing miserably on another season. I wonder what his performance bonuses consist of?
Finally the misery is over, I still think we need to get the hockey god resigned. Where could the Cougars go without Thompson.
The bonus I recommend is a toilet bowl brush, seems fitting, that is where every season he has been in charge has went.
The Cougars have now failed to make the playoffs 4 of the last 6 seasons. Of the two that they made the playoffs, they were booted in the first round.
2009 Playoffs – Vancouver won 4 games to 0
2011 Playoffs – Kelowna won 4 games to 0
If the Cougars were in the Eastern Conference, they would have been eliminated weeks ago. There you need 70 points just to sneak into the playoffs. The Cougars finished this season with 50.
Correction… they have 50 points as of now. It might be 52 if they win tonight.
this elimination saves the cougars from having a home playoff game with less than a thousand fans in the stands.
Every other team in the Dub with even a reasonably competent GM can build a legitimate contender every 3-4 years. Apparently on the Thompson train you just have to add zeroes to those numbers and hope you live long enough to see success.
The 800 fans who normally attend should stay home tonight in protest. The other 600 corporate tickets that make up the “official” attendance have been staying home for years.
the game now will be the “team rebuild race” between the cougars and the bottom vancouver giants over the next 3 years.
I think we know who will win that race. The Giants won the seasons series with the Cougars 5 games to 3.
Pathetic. Every team in the league stomped on the Giants this season except for the Cougars.
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