Holowko makes impression in debut with Cougars

Nic Holowko’s first day as a Prince George Cougar was a memorable one, to say the least.

In the Cougars’ 5-4 win Tuesday over the Victoria Royals he just about collected a Gordie Howe hat trick.

Playing left wing on a line with Ethan O’Rourke and Vladimir Mikhalchuk to start the game at CN Centre, on Holowko’s first shift he put a shot on goal. The Cougars also put the speedy winger to work as a penalty-killer.

Twelve minutes into the second period Holowko flattened Royals defenceman Mitchell Prowse with the hit of the game, a clean bodycheck, and Prowse didn’t see it coming as he tried to move the puck out of his own end. Holowko then had to face the wrath of Jared Freadrich, Prowse’s defence partner, who dropped the gloves and wanted to fight.

Three minutes into the third period Tuesday, with the Cougars leading 3-0, Holowko took a high bounce pass from O’Rourke that ended up on his stick blade which sprung him into the clear. Holowko put the puck into the net past Dean McNabb but in the act of shooting was unable to get out of the way and made contact with the Royals goalie. The incidental contact meant the goal had to be waved off.

But the best was yet to come for the 20-year-old Holowko, picked up on waivers earlier in the week to replace Cougars centre Brogan O’Brien, who suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s 5-4 overtime loss to Victoria and is sidelined for at least the next four-six weeks.

Down 4-1, the Royals stormed back with three unanswered goals to tie the game in the third period and overtime was looming in a 4-4 game with just six minutes left when Holowko’s skills as a playmaker led to the winning goal. He dug the puck off the side boards and spun a pass just inside the Victoria blueline to rookie centre Max Kryski, whose shot from the slot went through McNabb’s legs. Kryski’s goal, the first of his WHL career, stood as the gamewinner.

Holowko walked out of the dressing room celebration as the obvious choice to wear the hard hat and safety vest that goes to the Cougars’ star of the game. Considering he hadn’t met his new teammates until a few hours before the game, it was a night the Burnaby native won’t soon forget.

“It was fun to get a huge lead but in this league anything can happen and we let the come back a bit but we proved resilient and came out on top,” said Holowko.

“It was nice to get thrown into the fire. I’ve had a lot of experience, that’s my fourth (junior) team and every team is different but you just play on instincts and it got me into the game. Skating is definitely my asset, I just have to work off the rust and I’ll get a little faster out there.”

He was fast enough Tuesday to take Josh Anderson’s feed along the wall and create just enough space for himself to set up Kryski.

“I kind if saw two guys streaking up the middle and did a little spin pass right onto the tape and anything can happen when you shoot the puck and it went five-hole,” said Holowko.

— see NEW FORWARD, page 8