Cougars hit the skids
A seven-game losing streak has the Prince George Cougars looking for answers.
It’s been a frustrating November for head coach Dean Clark as the Cougars (7-11-1-3) have yet to hit the win column during the current month of their Western Hockey League schedule going 0-4-0-3 before tonight’s game with the Regina Pats (1012-1-1) at CN Centre, 7 p.m.
Despite the winless month, Clark said the team has played well against top teams like the Kamloops Blazers (195-0-1) and the Edmonton Oil Kings (13-5-2-2), losing twice in the shootout in Kamloops, while falling twice to the Oil Kings by 4-2 scores (both including an empty-net goal.)
“We can’t stop the way we’re playing, and we haven’t which is a credit to them,” said Clark. “I don’t think we’ve stopped working or doing the things we need to do. You have to keep plugging away and do the team things.”
Clark said when things don’t go their way many of the youthful players – the Cougars have 12 players under 18, while several of their 18- and 19-year-olds are still getting used to playing larger roles in major junior hockey – tend to have difficulty containing their emotions and react to things, like lack of puck luck around the net, as individuals instead of as a team.
“Mental strength for our team isn’t a strength but it’s getting there,” said Clark. “It’s just getting through situations and going through what adversity there is to go through and becoming stronger for it. With all of our guys, because we still have a little bit of youth, it’s just something we have to be hands on with and help them understand and talk to them all the time about the situations in front of them and get them to realize some of the things they have to do in order to get through the tough times.”
Some of the growing pains the Cougars have faced in November include a forgettable first period of hockey by rookie Brett Zarowny in the net during the first game against the Oil Kings where he allowed three goals on nine shots, an inability to rebound from a controversial disallowed goal in the second loss to Edmonton and being unable to hold two leads (2-0 and 4-3) Saturday in Kamloops.
“We don’t pour on the pressure like we should,” said Clark. “As a coach, it’s a little bit frustrating that we’re not getting the results. We’re probably playing well enough to get results. We’ve just got to do that extra little bit to get them.”
Clark said if the team continues to play the way they did in the 5-4 shootout loss in Kamloops they should have opportunities to get some wins, especially now that they’re playing teams with similar records – Regina tonight, before a crucial four games with the Victoria Royals (11-11) the next two weekends. “We could potentially capitalize on it,” said Clark. The Cougars will have 15-year-old Brad Morrison in the lineup tonight, mainly due to injuries but also a reward for the BCMML Cariboo Cougars forward who left a good impression in his WHL debut on Saturday.
“He did such a great job of protecting the puck in some situations I threw him up with Alex Forsberg and Ryan Hanes,” said Clark. “It was arguably our best line in the third period. He’s going to be a really talented guy for us. I look forward to seeing him play again.”
The Cougars are expected to be without captain Brock Hirsche (right shoulder), Troy Bourke (upper body), Rinalds Rosinskis (left leg) and Jake Mykitiuk (mono).
Forward Caleb Belter will also miss the next two games after being handed a three-game suspension for a boarding major he took last Friday against Saskatoon.
It’s the second time this season Belter has been suspended.