15 points off

[puckmam]

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113537&Itemid=564



Cougars fall short in Blazerville (0)
(Sports) Friday, 18 January 2008, 23:40 PST
GREGG DRINNAN Kamloops Daily News
KAMLOOPS -- All is not lost for the Prince George Cougars. But the search party is saddling up and getting ready.

When the Cougars arrived at Interior Savings Centre on Friday, they were 14 points out of a WHL playoff spot. When they left, the number was 15.

In between, they were soundly beaten, to the tune of 5-2, by the Kamloops Blazers, who now have won three games in a row. They also have won five straight games at home, where they are 14-9-0-1.

The Blazers moved into a tie for sixth in the Western Conference with the Chilliwack Bruins, one point ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. After a night when 15 of the 20 teams who were in action picked up at least one point, the Thunderbirds slipped to eighth, 15 points ahead of the Cougars, who have 26 games remaining.

For the third time in seven nights, the Blazers line of Alex Rodgers between Ivan Rohac and Juuso Puustinen lit the fire.

“We knew the Cougars were coming in off a long bus ride,” Rodgers said. ”As a line we figured we might as well go out there and go hard right away an hopefully we can bury some chances and take the momentum.”

Which is exactly what happened.

Rodgers scored two first-period goals, sandwiching one from Prince George defenceman Patrik Magnusson, to give the home boys a 2-1 lead.

“I thought at times we were in the hockey game,”Prince George head coach Drew Schoneck said, “but we struggled at times with the Kamloops speed.”

And it was Rodgers' line that supplied a lot of that speed. Puustinen and defenceman Jordan Rowley added second-period goals as the Blazers took complete control, outshooting the visitors, 14-4. By game’s end, that edge was 38-18 as the Cougars didn't win many battles.

”No,” Schoneck stated, “and that’s the knock when you’re a younger team. We’ve got a 16-year-old (Justin Maylan) centring our second line and I thought he was our best forward. He had the most jump and the most opportunities.

”Our veterans had to be better and they weren’t. We've got to bear down and win battles and we didn’t and that’s something an older Kamloops team made us pay for.”

Czech left-winger Jan Kupec, with his second goal in 26 games, got the

Cougars to within two midway through the third period but centre Jimmy

Bubnick, trailing a Nick Ross end-to-end rush, pounded the garbage behind

goaltender Real Cyr to put this one away.

Cyr finished with 33 saves, while the Blazers' Justin Leclerc stopped 16. It

was the first time in 12 games that the Blazers surrendered fewer than 30

shots.

[PGFlyfisher]

”Our veterans had to be better and they weren’t. We've got to bear down and win battles and we didn’t and that’s something an older Kamloops team made us pay for.”

This should be no excuse for losing games now. At the trade deadline, 5 veterans were no longer on the roster. Did the Cougars management miss a room when they cleaned house?
Losses during these growing pains are acceptable with a good effort from a youthful corps. However, this was a critical game against a divisional opponent and the older players should be better if the team wants any chance ( although ever so slim) of making the playoffs.

[TwoBits]

I agree PGFlyfisher, I hate to say this but, the only way we are going to be able to bridge the gap between us and the Blazers is to win all the remaining games against them and equal the amount of games that they continue to win. It's going to be tough but not impossible I guess.

Who do you think will get the start against the Rockets? I don't think the coaching staff are too worried about Cyr's ego and are going to start Curtis.

[WestLEAFfan]

I agree PGFlyfisher, I hate to say this but, the only way we are going to be able to bridge the gap between us and the Blazers is to win all the remaining games against them and equal the amount of games that they continue to win. It's going to be tough but not impossible I guess.

Who do you think will get the start against the Rockets? I don't think the coaching staff are too worried about Cyr's ego and are going to start Curtis.

Are you certain REAL is the only player responsible for the loss?

[TwoBits]

Now where on Earth did I say Real was responsible for the loss? He's not the only veteran on the team you know. From what I can gather from the radio broadcast, Real played well and confident and only let in one bad goal. He also had the composure and experience to keep it from becoming a blow out in the third period.

So let me clarify the question I asked about who will get the start tonight. I don't think Real's ego will weigh into the decision because he can handle it if they choose to go with Curtis. And, the coaches shouldn't base their decisions on people's egos anyway, it should be based upon strategy, psychological or otherwise, to win. I would play Curtis on the sole reason that the Rockets may play a little less confident against him after Cyr let in 6 goals, in the first period of the 11-1 game. I know it was their debut and it wasn't entirely Cyr's fault but you have to consider what is in the minds of the other team. On the other edge of the psychological sword, they may give Cyr the start so he can redeem himself and because the Rockets may under estimate his abilities and be too over-confident. I guess we'll see tonight how the coaching staff thinks.

Just a side-bar:

Real was wearing a white helmet last night, they are re-painting his other one. (I can't wait to see it because Real said this summer that he had free-rein on the design, knowing him it's going to be full of symbolism) The coach said in the pre-game show that he was teasing Real that the white helmet made him look 18 again. :laugh:

[WestLEAFfan]

Sorry TwoBits, I must have read between the lines!

[TwoBits]

I went back and read the entire thread and noticed that I did not state which part of PGFlyfisher's comments I agreed with. I agree that ALL of the veterans need to step up and make their presence known.

Was that little "room missed" comment directed at Cyr? :skeptical If so, I cannot disagree more!!!!! If Cyr weren't a goalie, he'd be wearing a letter. Nobody knows or appreciates the huge role he plays in the dressing room and off the ice.

[WestLEAFfan]

I went back and read the entire thread and noticed that I did not state which part of PGFlyfisher's comments I agreed with. I agree that ALL of the veterans need to step up and make their presence known.

Was that little "room missed" comment directed at Cyr? :skeptical If so, I cannot disagree more!!!!! If Cyr weren't a goalie, he'd be wearing a letter. Nobody knows or appreciates the huge role he plays in the dressing room and off the ice.

CYR has been always considered part of the "captain and assistant captain" group. I believe he has been attending all important meetings since last year. He is seen as a go to guy for the team for sure. I think he'd be the captain if he was a forward or d-man. Young CAT kids, take notice of how it should be done. vci22

[PGFlyfisher]

Was that little "room missed" comment directed at Cyr? :skeptical

Heck no! Not at all. Not meant at anyone in particular. Just hoping that none of the older players that are left here think they can coast now that the deadline has passed.
I would think that management kept these guys here for leadership and so they should do just that. Especially by example.
When the coach' s post game comments state that a 16 yr old rookie was the best player on the ice, that doesn' t sit well with me. I' d heard that far too many times this season already.

As for Cyr. He has had a rough season, do doubt. But anyone who has seen the games knows dang well that he hasn' t had a lot of help in front of him either. And he' s definitely not entirely to blame!
I developed a lot of respect for him over the years. Especially last year playing through the knee injury. He was a trooper!
And I must confess. I wish he could have been moved to a contender or to PA (closer to home) to finish up his junior career. He' s earned it! applause

[TwoBits]

And I must confess. I wish he could have been moved to a contender or to PA (closer to home) to finish up his junior career. He' s earned it

You know what, we asked him this summer if he'd rather go to a contender and he said no. He wanted nothing more than to finish off his career in PG. He has tremendous loyalty towards the team. He was told that this year was going to be rough offensively but I don't think anyone had any clue how rough all around it would be.


As for PA it's the first team we would all want him playing for :laugh: but not him. Oh now that I think of it, that would mean I would be forced to cheer for PA, that would be tough.(My team in the East is Saskatoon, and no, I don't have any affiliation with the Brodsky's)

I've got the game on and hear Curtis got the start. I kind of thought that would be the choice until I started second guessing myself.

I think the goal now is to groom Curtis, provide him with opportunities and get him ready for next year. If he to plays well regardless of wins or losses, he should continue to get starts. It's the only way he will improve. A mistake I think the team has made ever since Real arrived, is flip-flopping the goalies so much. You can't switch them because they lose one game, they need to develop so kind of flow. But that's just my opinion.