Cariboo Cougars set for new season

Local players figure prominently on the blueline of the Cariboo Cougars.

The Cougars, defending regular-season and playoff champions in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League, have five P.G. products on defence – 16-year-old Max Arnold, 15-year-old Jacob Gendron, 16-year-old Colton Kitchen, 17-year-old Brennan Malgunas and 16-yearold Matthew Marotta. The only out-of-town defender is Zach Minaker, a 17-year-old from Kitimat.

Up front, the Cougars feature just three Prince George skaters. Sixteen-year-old Brandon Dent and 17-year-olds Craig Macdonald and Braeden Young will fly local colours in a forward group that includes two players from Dawson Creek (17-year-olds Tanner Bahm and Brandon Rowley) and single representatives from Vanderhoof (Hunter Floris), Prince Rupert (Brett Fudger), Fort St. James (Lane Goodwin), Terrace (Mason Richey), Williams Lake (Grady Thomas) and Kelowna (Paul Hauk).

In goal, the Cougars have 17-year-old local Marcus Allen and 16-year-old Ryan Buchan of Dawson Creek.

The Cougars released their active roster on Friday. Currently it has 19 players, and 20 are allowed.

Of the 19 currently listed, five were full-time players for the Cats last season – Malgunas, Floris, Richey, Rowley and Allen. Nine more – Arnold, Gendron, Kitchen, Minaker, Dent, Goodwin, Macdonald, Thomas and Young – saw action as affiliated players.

The Cougars start their 40-game regular season on Saturday (4 p.m., Kin 1) when they take on the Valley West Hawks. The teams will also meet on Sunday at 10 a.m. at the same rink.