Prince George, BC – The Prince George Cougars have added a goaltender to the roster by obtaining 19-year old Prince George product Alex Wright.

The Cougars become the third Western Hockey League team for Wright, who played one game for the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2006-07 and one game for the Spokane Chiefs last year. Wright started this season with the Prince George Spruce Kings of the BC Hockey League, going 5-7-0-0 in 14 games, with a 3.17 goals against average and a .893 save percentage.

 

With the vacancy in goal, the Spruce Kings  have acquired 19 year old goaltender Steve Papciak  from the Okotoks Oilers in exchange for future considerations. From Des Plaines, Illinois, Papciak played in 35 games for the Oilers in the 2008-09 season with a record of 16 wins, 10 losses and 2 ties, a 3.17 goals against average and a 88.53 save percentage. To start this season, Papciak played 186 minutes in three games registering 2 wins with a 2.90 GAA and 90.43 SV%.

 "We are very happy for Alex," said Spruce Kings assistant general manager and director of player personnel, Mike Hawes. "We are very proud as an organization to have been able to provide Alex Wright an environment that
has been beneficial to his hockey development. We wish Alex all the best with the Prince George Cougars and his future hockey career."

"It's always difficult to replace a quality starting goaltender," added Hawes. "We are happy that we were able to secure another quality goaltender like Steve Papciak to our organization."

Papciak is expected to join the Spruce Kings in time for their home-and-home game against the Timberwolves beginning in Williams Lake on Friday night and Prince George on Saturday. Fans will have a chance to skate with Papciak and
the rest of the Spruce Kings during the annual Skate for Literacy on Sunday from noon til 2pm at the Prince George Coliseum.