Forsberg Gets Back Into Cougars Line-Up, Cats Fall 5-1 In Calgary

By 250 News

The Cougars set a season best for shots allowed in a game, keeping the Central Division leading Calgary Hitmen to just 20 shots on goal Wednesday night.  But the Hitmen scored on their first three shots of the game and handed the Cougars a 5-1 loss to start Prince George's three game Alberta Swing.

The Cougars were on the road for the first time in February, looking to snap out of a two game losing streak.  The Hitmen, meantime, are in a battle for first in the Eastern Conference and had an eight game win streak snapped by the Brandon Wheat Kings Monday on home ice, one of the teams they are looking to beat out for that number 1 spot.  The Cougars welcomed back 16-year old defenceman Jesse Forsberg to the line-up, who had missed the previous seven games with a sprained shoulder.

Hudson Stremmel was back in goal for the Cougars, making his ninth consecutive start.  But the Hitmen put a dent into his save percentage, that went into the game over 90%.  The WHL's reigning player of the week, Brandon Kozun opened the scoring on the Hitmen's first shot of the game at 3:57, his 31st of the year.  Joel Broda, a 50 goal man last season, notched his 30th on Calgary's second shot at 4:37 and at 9:43, former Kamloops Blazer forward Tyler Shattock banked a shot off Stremmel's pad for a 3-0 Hitmen lead at 9:43 on just their third shot.  The last tally came short-handed, giving Shattock 26 goals on the season and ending Stremmel's night.  Kyle Jahraus replaced Stremmel and stopped Calgary's remaining four shots in the period, as the Hitmen carried that 3-0 lead to the dressing room after 20 minutes.  Martin Jones, a member of Canada's World Junior squad, faced four Cougars shots.

In the second period, the Cougars got a spark from Taylor Makin, who scored his 10th goal of the year at 7:12, unassisted, to cut the Calgary lead to 3-1.  For Makin, one of only two Cougars to play every game this season along with James Dobrowolski, that is his first goal since January 30 in Vancouver.  But the Hitmen would get two more before the middle frame was up.  Giffen Nyren put home his sixth of the year at 9:57 and Misha Fisenko recorded his 10th goal at 16:21 on a 5-on-3 power play, to put Calgary ahead 5-1.  The Hitmen out-shot Prince George 10-8.

The Cougars held Calgary to just three shots in the third period, but couldn't cut into the Hitmen lead, falling 5-1.  The Cougars had a 12-3 advantage in shots in the final 20 minutes and out-shot the Hitmen 24-20 in the game.  But the Cougars power play went 0-for-7, which included a 5-on-3 advantage that last two minutes and 29 seconds mid-way through the period.  The Hitmen were 1-for-7.  That Hitmen power play goal with a two man advantage is the first power play goal surrendered by the Cougars since their January 10 win over the Kamloops Blazers, killing off 12 consecutive power plays between goals allowed.  Jahraus stopped 15 of 17 shots he faced since taking over for Stremmel mid-way through the first period.

The Cougars fall to 11-44-1-2 and get set for the Red Deer Rebels Friday night.  The Cougars will look to return the favour to Red Deer, after the Rebels earned two points in Prince George with a 2-1 victory on January 13.  The Cougars will finish the road trip up highway 2 in Edmonton Saturday night.  Cougars Head Coach Dean Clark said after Wednesday's game that the Cougars look to have prospect Wilson Dumais in the line-up Friday.  Dumais plays for the Tisdale Trojans of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League and not only leads the Trojans in scoring with 50 points in 39 games, but is second in the league, behind another Trojans player, in penalty minutes with 171.  Clark added Saturday will see the WHL debuts of a pair of 2009 bantam draft picks, forward Troy Bourke and defenceman Dane Phaneuf.

The next Cougars home game is Tuesday, February 23 against the Seattle Thunderbirds, starting at 7:00.  Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 250-564-5585.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us