New forward known for physical play
—
Holowko played 208 games in the WHL with Seattle and Kamloops before he came to the Cougars. He started the season with Kamloops and suited up for seven games with the Blazers before he was released. He contemplated going back to school but when the Prince George Spruce Kings traded his junior A rights to the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL in a deal for winger Blake Hayward the trade gave Holowko a chance to continue his hockey career playing close to his hometown. A hip injury limited him to just three games with the Express and he was about to return to the BCHL when the Cougars called him Monday night.
Holowko figures he’s played in CN Centre at least 10 times but never ventured into the home side’s turf before Tuesday.
“Every team you play against, you hate every guy on the team and then in the dressing room they’re all great guys with a great sense of humour and they’re all welcoming,” he said. “I knew Tavin Grant and Kody McDonald and that’s it.”
Holowko got caught up in the numbers game in Kamloops when the Blazers elected to keep two defencemen Brady Reagan and Joe Gatenby and forward Nick Chyzowski as their 20-year-olds.
“Speaking with his (former) coaches, he’s a great team guy and his assets are the way he skates and the way he sees the puck,” said Cougars head coach Richard Matvichuk.
“He’s a physical player and he’s been in a whirlwind the last 24 hours and to play the way he did is remarkable. He’s going to make a lot of decisions tough around here if he keeps playing like that and like he said (in the post game interview), the dream’s never over.”
Aside from the third-period letups and blown leads that have plagued the Cougars lately, Matvichuk liked how his players handled Tuesday’s game. Tavin Grant was brilliant at times while making 41 saves and three of the Cougar goals - two from Ryan Schoettler and one from Cole Moberg - were scored by defencemen. That’s a positive sign considering they could be without highscoring pointman Dennis Chowlowski for the rest of the month if he makes Canada’s world junior team.
The bottom line was the Cougars (12-24-32, fifth in B.C. Division) took three of a possible four points against the division-leading Royals (20-11-3-0).
“We have to find a way to not give up those goals but give (the Royals) credit, they’re a powerful hockey team,” said Matvichuk. “I thought our young guys especially, everybody dug their heels in and we had to do the things that are ugly and we did them. Three out four, we’re pretty pleased.
“It’s good to see the Mobergs and the Schoettlers succeeding.”
McDonald will be back in the lineup Friday after serving a three-game suspension when the Cougars begin a three-game weekend roadtrip in Seattle against Holowko’s former team the Thunderbirds. The Cougars also visit Everett on Saturday and Vancouver on Sunday before they begin a weeklong Christmas break.
“Our goal is six points this weekend,” said Matvichuk.