WestLEAFfan
11-02-2007, 10:45 AM
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102402&Itemid=564
Cats off to Blazerville
(Sports) Friday, 02 November 2007, 02:23 PST
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Two teams whose WHL fortunes have turned in opposite directions will meet on the ice tonight in Kamloops.
The Prince George Cougars (7-9-0-0) are coming off their biggest win of the season -- a 3-0 shutout of the Vancouver Giants -- having won six of their last eight games.
The Kamloops Blazers (6-8-1-0), on the other hand, are on a two-game losing skid, having slipped one point below the Cougars in the Western Conference standings.
Something’s gotta give, and the Cougars are in no mood to see a return to their early-season funk.
“I think we’re going to see a desperate hockey team,” said Cougars head coach Drew Schoneck.
“They’ve dropped two in a row and they’re going to look to get themselves back on track with a good effort against us. For our part, it’s always a big game when we play Kamloops, our major rival, and we want to make sure we go in there ready to go.
“For this team to have success, whether it’s at home or on the road, we have to bring our work ethic and we have to make sure that doesn’t lack. On Monday night, we worked really hard and managed to stay out of the penalty box and combined, it was a solid effort for our guys.”
Schoneck plans to start Tommy Tartaglione in goal. The 19-year-old from Harbor City. Calif.,registered his first shutout of the season on Monday, stopping 31 Vancouver shots.
“Tommy certainly deserves it,” said Schoneck. “He came in and played very well against the Giants.”
The Cougars will be without injured defenceman Trevor Bauer (charleyhorse), but he could be back to face the Red Deer Rebels on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.) at CN Centre.
Forward Dale Hunt (broken hand) and centre Evan Fuller (groin) are still day-to-day.
“I think the guys worked very hard this week in practice,” Schoneck said.
“It’s nice when you can win two of three on the weekend to get feeling good about yourselves but we have to make sure we’re not patting ourselves too hard on the back when we got to Kamloops.”
Cats off to Blazerville
(Sports) Friday, 02 November 2007, 02:23 PST
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Two teams whose WHL fortunes have turned in opposite directions will meet on the ice tonight in Kamloops.
The Prince George Cougars (7-9-0-0) are coming off their biggest win of the season -- a 3-0 shutout of the Vancouver Giants -- having won six of their last eight games.
The Kamloops Blazers (6-8-1-0), on the other hand, are on a two-game losing skid, having slipped one point below the Cougars in the Western Conference standings.
Something’s gotta give, and the Cougars are in no mood to see a return to their early-season funk.
“I think we’re going to see a desperate hockey team,” said Cougars head coach Drew Schoneck.
“They’ve dropped two in a row and they’re going to look to get themselves back on track with a good effort against us. For our part, it’s always a big game when we play Kamloops, our major rival, and we want to make sure we go in there ready to go.
“For this team to have success, whether it’s at home or on the road, we have to bring our work ethic and we have to make sure that doesn’t lack. On Monday night, we worked really hard and managed to stay out of the penalty box and combined, it was a solid effort for our guys.”
Schoneck plans to start Tommy Tartaglione in goal. The 19-year-old from Harbor City. Calif.,registered his first shutout of the season on Monday, stopping 31 Vancouver shots.
“Tommy certainly deserves it,” said Schoneck. “He came in and played very well against the Giants.”
The Cougars will be without injured defenceman Trevor Bauer (charleyhorse), but he could be back to face the Red Deer Rebels on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.) at CN Centre.
Forward Dale Hunt (broken hand) and centre Evan Fuller (groin) are still day-to-day.
“I think the guys worked very hard this week in practice,” Schoneck said.
“It’s nice when you can win two of three on the weekend to get feeling good about yourselves but we have to make sure we’re not patting ourselves too hard on the back when we got to Kamloops.”