Minor Cougars play tough at home
In its first-ever set of home games, the Cariboo Cougars minor midget hockey team skated to a tie and a pair of victories. The Cougars, under the guidance of head coach Brian Toll, started a B.C. Hockey tripleheader against the South Island Royals on Friday night at Kin 1. The Cats and Royals opened with a 2-2 overtime tie, a game in which local forward Jaydon Merritt scored just 22 seconds after puck-drop. Defenceman Ashton Underhill of Whitehorse had the other goal for the home side.
On Saturday night, the Cats took control and posted a 4-0 victory. P.G.’s Landon Ingham paced the Cougars offensively with two goals while netminder Kenny Gerow – another Prince George product – was flawless between the pipes.
On Sunday, the Cats kept rolling and were rewarded with a 4-1 win.
The major midget Cougars, meanwhile, played games in Kamloops and Salmon Arm against the Thompson Blazers and followed a 3-2 Saturday loss with a 5-4 Sunday victory.
The next league games for the minor Cougars are Nov. 2-4 in Richmond against the Vancouver Northwest Hawks.
The major Cougars are home to the Kootenay Ice this weekend. Games are slated for 4 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday, both at Kin 1.
• Defenceman Jeremy Gervais, a graduate of the Cariboo Cougars program, has been named the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s player of the week.
Gervais, a 19-year-old from Prince George, is now skating for the Bonnyville Pontiacs. On a five-game road swing through the AJHL’s South Division, he posted an impressive nine points (one goal, eight assists) and helped the Pontiacs to wins against the Olds Grizzlys, Calgary Canucks, Calgary Mustangs and Canmore Eagles. The only blemish of the trip was a Saturday loss to the Okotoks Oilers. The string of success moved Bonnyville into first place in the AJHL North Division with a record of 13-3-0. Individually, Gervais now sits third in Pontiacs scoring with one goal and 13 points.