Cougars sticking with Cyr
(Sports) Thursday, 22 November 2007, 21:37 PST
JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
The Prince George Cougars are going with Real Cyr in net tonight in Kamloops.
In these parts, where a goaltender controversy is brewing, that counts as news.
Head coach Drew Schoneck will start Cyr, the 20-year-old veteran who has the worst statistics in the WHL among goalies with 480 minutes or more, over Tommy Tartaglione, following a gut feeling along with a recollection of how Cyr has performed in his career at the Interior Savings Centre, home of the rival Blazers.
Based on the win-and-you’re-in philosophy Schoneck has referred to since Tartaglione was acquired from the Edmonton Oil Kings, the 19-year-old lefty would get the call since Cyr was the goalie of record as the Cats ran their season-worst losing streak to eight games last weekend.
Cyr has a 4.68 goals-against average and an .864 save-percentage, along with a 5-9 win-loss record -- none of those appearance this season against the Blazers. Tartaglione is 4-8 with a 3.35 average and .900 stoppage rate.
Cyr stopped 44 shots in a 3-2 loss in Tri-City last Friday, then blocked 31 of 36 in a 5-1 defeat in Spokane. That makes tonight’s start the third-straight for Cyr, who is in his fourth season in a Cougars jersey.
“Real hasn’t been over-thinking out there, and has been making the first save instead of trying to think three saves ahead,” said Schoneck, whose team closes a six-game road swing with tonight’s game and a Saturday date in Kelowna.
“When he’s on his game, he’s making the first save and then the second and third if they come at him. It is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business, and he knows Tommy has come in and played some good hockey for us. That was our hope when we brought Tommy in, was that it would make both of them better, and to a point it has done that.
“Sure, there’s some sentimentality with what Real has done for this organization, along with how hard he works and how much he’s given to this team. Sometimes 20-year-olds get a mindset that it will be easier, when really it isn’t.”
Schoneck said fan opinion does not make the call, but he acknowledged the team is aware Tartaglione has been getting the louder cheers from CN Centre faithful.
“We have to be true to ourselves and our fans -- they want to see winning hockey, and so do we,” said Schoneck.
“The fans are entitled to their opinion. We do things that may look, from a fan standpoint, like ‘what the hell are those guys thinking.’ Common sense will probably say that Tommy is the guy (tonight), but with Real’s experience and success against Kamloops, as recently as last year’s playoffs and over the years, it’s hard to ignore that he plays his best hockey there. Hopefully he can get on track there.”
Cyr will have defenceman Jesse Dudas (leg) and 17-year-old centre Jan Kupec (concussion) on the ice with him tonight, as the two return from injury. Evan Fuller (groin) and Dale Hunt (hand) won’t play this weekend.
“Kupec will be back, and Jesse is 50-50, though we’re hopeful there -- his leg still hurts,” said Schoneck. “Evan is out, and Dale just got the cast off his hand and he’s another two weeks away. With Evan, I really have no idea how long it will be.”
The coach has spent the week trying to erase the ugly eight from his players’ heads, planning for this not to become a nasty nine.
“We had a chance to touch on things in practice this week, and that was good for us,” said Schoneck.
“We haven’t talked about the losing streak -- we don’t want the guys to dwell on it. You can use it as a motivational tool because we’re better than an eight-game slide, but you want to be positive and focus on the next game, not the last eight.”
Tonight’s game is the second meeting of the year between the Cats and Blazers, and first since the new Kamloops ownership swept head coach and general manager Dean Clark out of office. Prince George beat Kamloops 8-3 on Nov. 2 with Clark behind the bench and Tartaglione in goal for the Cougars. The Blazers are due at CN Centre to end the pre-Christmas schedule, Dec. 14-15.