Cougars Hudson Stremmel Makes 48 Saves in 4-3 Shoot-Out Loss In Kelowna

By 250 News

Hudson Stremmel faced 51 shots in regulation and overtime to help the Prince George Cougars secure their first point since January 2.  However, Tyson Barrie, who scored the only goal the last time the Cougars and Kelowna Rockets went to a shoot-out on November 4, had the lone shoot-out marker again, to give the Rockets a 4-3 victory Friday night.

The Cougars began a two game road swing in Kelowna, a week after the Rockets paid a visit to CN Centre in Prince George.  Friday's meeting was the seventh of eight between the BC Division rivals, with the Rockets taking five of the first six encounters.  The Rockets would get on the board first in the latest battle, when Cody Chikie scored his 17th goal of the season at 14:19, the only goal of the opening 20 minutes.  Stremmel was the busiest in the first period, blocking 17 of 18 shots.  Adam Brown was in net for the Rockets and stopped all eight Cougars shots.

But in the second period, the line of Nick Buonassisi, Alex Rodgers and James Dobrowolski, who all carried three game point streaks into Friday, continued to click in Kelowna.  Buonassisi notched his 11th goal of the campaign to tie the game at one at 12:36 of the second period.  Dobrowolski and Rodgers drew helpers.  Rodgers then gave the Cougars the lead at 18:22, with Kurt Torbohm getting an assist along with Dobrowolski's second helper, putting the Cougars up 2-1.  But that late second period goal was followed by another one from Rockets defenceman Tyson Barrie, who scored short-handed at 19:32 to tie the game at two with his 11th goal of the season.  The Cougars had a 13-12 shot advantage in the middle frame.

Barrie got himself a power play goal at 7:09 of the third to give the hosts the lead again.  But, the Cougars would get that goal back, with Buonassisi getting his second tally of the game at 18:37 to tie the score at three.  That goal gives Buonassisi 8 points in his last four games, while Rodgers picked up an assist for a three point night.  Daniel Gibb also got a helper.  After going the first 46 games without a point, Gibb now has assists in back-to-back games.  The goal ensured the Cougars at least a point, which they hadn't done in 11 games following a 6-4 win in the first game of 2010 on January 2 over Kamloops.  Stremmel was superb, kicking out 16 of 17 shots in the third and 44 of 47 in regulation.  Not to be out-done, Brown stopped 31 of 34 shots he faced at the other end for Kelowna.

The Cougars started overtime with a 4-on-3 power play, but couldn't end the game with the man-advantage.  The Rockets had four shots following the penalty kill, but Stremmel got in front of all of the them, including a couple of big stops.  The Cougars managed one shot on Brown.

In the shoot-out, Bouanassisi was the first up, but could not solve Brown.  Barrie followed and scored on Stremmel, which proved to be the decisive goal.  Petr Senkerik and Rodgers were stopped by the Rockets goalie, giving Kelowna the 4-3 victory.  Stremmel denied the other Rockets shooter, Shane McColgan.  The final shots on goal were 52-35 for Kelowna, making Stremmel's 48 saves a new Cougars season high, besting former Cougars goalie James Priestner, who stopped 46 shots he faced against the Spokane Chiefs on the opening night of the season, September 18.  Special teams became a big factor in the game, with Barrie getting a short handed and power play goal for the Rockets.  The Cougars were 0-for-3, while the Rockets went 1-for-4.

Not only is Buonassisi hot for the Cougars, so are his line-mates.  Rodgers three points Friday gives the 20-year old seven in the last four games and Dobrowolski now has five points in the last four games.  One of those three players has scored nine of the last 12 Cougars goals over that time.  But the loss gives the Cougars a 9-39-1-2 record as they head to Vancouver Saturday night.  The Rockets improve to 23-25-2-2, strengthening their grip on the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, 14 clear of ninth place Seattle.

After their date with the Vancouver Giants Saturday, the Cougars will come home for five straight at CN Centre, starting with the Edmonton Oil Kings February 5 and 6.  The first game of the double-header is Mascot Mania night.  Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 250-564-5585.  Puck drop is 7:00.

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