Malc
01-19-2009, 05:09 PM
Written by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
Two weeks ago, Kelowna Rockets stars Mikael Backlund, Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers were playing for gold at the world junior tournament.
Ten days ago, Backlund skated in an NHL game for the Calgary Flames.
But this past weekend, the entire Kelowna team was outplayed by 16-year-olds Brett Connolly and Greg Fraser -- among other Prince George Cougars players.
The Cougars completed an unlikely sweep of the star-studded Rockets on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win, one punctuated by Connolly deking Kelowna goaltender Adam Brown out of his shorts for the lone shootout goal.
Earlier in the game, Connolly -- a true freshman who has already set franchise marks for goals and points by a 16-year-old -- tallied his 20th of the season.
"Kelowna has good players, but Brett Connolly was the best player on the ice -- both nights," said Cougars head coach Wade Klippenstein, whose team started the weekend with a 5-2 triumph on Friday night.
"He’s 16, and he’s a special player. To be the best player with all those other guys there, that’s quite a compliment."
Connolly opened the scoring in the first, but Kelowna got goals from Ian Duval and Colin Long in the middle frame to take a 2-1 lead to the third period.
It was late in the third period when Myers, a rock in Team Canada’s gold rush in Ottawa and a first-round draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres, incurred not one but two delay of game penalties for lofting the puck into the crowd from his own end. Brian Matte tipped home a risky feed from Tyler Halliday on the first power play, setting up a scoreless overtime.
Backlund was invisible, only noticeable when Cody Hobbs stopped him dead with a crushing open-ice hit in the third period.
"I didn’t really like our efforts up here, I’ll say that much," said Kelowna coach Ryan Huska, whose task is to help his team find an identity.
"I thought we were very perimeter, and we were trying to be very fancy in the offensive zone. We lost two games to a team that wanted it more than us, and that’s really what it came down to. We do a lot of everything, but we don’t do anything really well and that’s the challenge -- to get it sorted out and regroup for the stretch run."
Huska sat overage defenceman Tysen Dowzak on Saturday because of his poor play on Friday.
With the roster they were facing, the Cougars -- who have won three of their last four outings -- had no shortage of motivation and set a new standard that the team’s fans will now expect them to live up to.
"There was a lot of hype around a lot of Kelowna’s players, and they have some very good players," said Klippenstein.
"But our kids stood up to them and played the way we needed them to play. We saw a total team effort from our goaltender out. It was a good weekend for us, exactly what we needed. I was proud of the guys -- they competed hard, and even when we were down they still found a way. It’s a good sign of things to come for our group. The confidence is high, and we just beat a very good team and shut down some very good players."
All that aside, the best news might be that Cougars winger Marek Viedensky, an 18-year-old from Slovakia, survived Saturday’s game. Viedensky came to the rescue of teammate Matt Cumming after the latter was hammered into the boards by Kelowna tough guy Ryley Grantham in the third period. Viedensky didn’t win the bout, but he didn’t get the speedbag treatment.
Too bad the Cats can’t face the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. The overwhelming bet is that the Cougars will play the Vancouver Giants if they get to the postseason.
"I don’t know what it is with Kelowna, but we sure show up to play when it’s then," said Cougars goaltender Kevin Armstrong, who posted his second-consecutive 40-save outing.
"It’d be nice to move up a spot or two and maybe play them instead of Vancouver. I have to give a lot of credit to the guys. We’ve had a commitment to defence and keeping the shots to the outside."
KITTY LITTER: The Rockets forward Evan Bloodoff missed the game because of a WHL suspension for his boarding major on Friday... Alex Poulter missed the game with a suspected concussion, but Klippenstein said the veteran forward could’ve played on Saturday. Expect him to return as soon as Friday... Attendance was announced at 2,303, more than 100 fewer than saw Friday’s game.
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20090118170528/sports/sports/well-deserved-four-points-for-cougars.html
Two weeks ago, Kelowna Rockets stars Mikael Backlund, Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers were playing for gold at the world junior tournament.
Ten days ago, Backlund skated in an NHL game for the Calgary Flames.
But this past weekend, the entire Kelowna team was outplayed by 16-year-olds Brett Connolly and Greg Fraser -- among other Prince George Cougars players.
The Cougars completed an unlikely sweep of the star-studded Rockets on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win, one punctuated by Connolly deking Kelowna goaltender Adam Brown out of his shorts for the lone shootout goal.
Earlier in the game, Connolly -- a true freshman who has already set franchise marks for goals and points by a 16-year-old -- tallied his 20th of the season.
"Kelowna has good players, but Brett Connolly was the best player on the ice -- both nights," said Cougars head coach Wade Klippenstein, whose team started the weekend with a 5-2 triumph on Friday night.
"He’s 16, and he’s a special player. To be the best player with all those other guys there, that’s quite a compliment."
Connolly opened the scoring in the first, but Kelowna got goals from Ian Duval and Colin Long in the middle frame to take a 2-1 lead to the third period.
It was late in the third period when Myers, a rock in Team Canada’s gold rush in Ottawa and a first-round draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres, incurred not one but two delay of game penalties for lofting the puck into the crowd from his own end. Brian Matte tipped home a risky feed from Tyler Halliday on the first power play, setting up a scoreless overtime.
Backlund was invisible, only noticeable when Cody Hobbs stopped him dead with a crushing open-ice hit in the third period.
"I didn’t really like our efforts up here, I’ll say that much," said Kelowna coach Ryan Huska, whose task is to help his team find an identity.
"I thought we were very perimeter, and we were trying to be very fancy in the offensive zone. We lost two games to a team that wanted it more than us, and that’s really what it came down to. We do a lot of everything, but we don’t do anything really well and that’s the challenge -- to get it sorted out and regroup for the stretch run."
Huska sat overage defenceman Tysen Dowzak on Saturday because of his poor play on Friday.
With the roster they were facing, the Cougars -- who have won three of their last four outings -- had no shortage of motivation and set a new standard that the team’s fans will now expect them to live up to.
"There was a lot of hype around a lot of Kelowna’s players, and they have some very good players," said Klippenstein.
"But our kids stood up to them and played the way we needed them to play. We saw a total team effort from our goaltender out. It was a good weekend for us, exactly what we needed. I was proud of the guys -- they competed hard, and even when we were down they still found a way. It’s a good sign of things to come for our group. The confidence is high, and we just beat a very good team and shut down some very good players."
All that aside, the best news might be that Cougars winger Marek Viedensky, an 18-year-old from Slovakia, survived Saturday’s game. Viedensky came to the rescue of teammate Matt Cumming after the latter was hammered into the boards by Kelowna tough guy Ryley Grantham in the third period. Viedensky didn’t win the bout, but he didn’t get the speedbag treatment.
Too bad the Cats can’t face the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. The overwhelming bet is that the Cougars will play the Vancouver Giants if they get to the postseason.
"I don’t know what it is with Kelowna, but we sure show up to play when it’s then," said Cougars goaltender Kevin Armstrong, who posted his second-consecutive 40-save outing.
"It’d be nice to move up a spot or two and maybe play them instead of Vancouver. I have to give a lot of credit to the guys. We’ve had a commitment to defence and keeping the shots to the outside."
KITTY LITTER: The Rockets forward Evan Bloodoff missed the game because of a WHL suspension for his boarding major on Friday... Alex Poulter missed the game with a suspected concussion, but Klippenstein said the veteran forward could’ve played on Saturday. Expect him to return as soon as Friday... Attendance was announced at 2,303, more than 100 fewer than saw Friday’s game.
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20090118170528/sports/sports/well-deserved-four-points-for-cougars.html