Prairie Hockey Academy Elite 15s-win pair of games in Penticton

The Prairie Hockey Academy Cougars picked up their first two wins of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League Elite 15 season over the weekend of September 29th, in Penticton, B.C.

The Cougars battled to a 5- 4 shootout victory over Vernon, B.C.’s Pursuit of Excellence on Sept. 28 before falling 5-2 to Abbotsford, B.C’ s Yale Hockey Academy on Sept. 29 and taking a 5-2 win over West Vancouver Academy on Sept. 30 to close out their busy weekend.

The Cougars are now 2-3 on the season and tied for seventh in the 13-team CSSHL Elite 15 league.

Ethan Peters and Caelen Fitzpatrick scored in the shootout as the PHA picked up their first-ever win in CSSHL action.

Fitzpatrick earlier tied the game with 1:30 remaining in the third period and finished the contest with a goal and an assist. Austin Reschny, Connor McGrath and Evan Callaghan also scored for the Cougars.

Nathan Airey made 23 saves for the win.

Reschny and Kirk Mullen each scored once for PHA as they found themselves tied 1-1 after the first and trailed 3-2 through two.

Chase Coward stopped 27 shots in the loss.

PHA stormed out to a 4-0 lead in the first period, outshooting West Vancouver 26-1 in the process, and never looked back on their way to a commanding win. Fitzpatrick finished with two goals and two assists, with Easton Ediger scoring twice and Mullen adding a goal and an assist. Reschny picked up three helpers. Coward faced only 11 shots in earning the win; the Cougars fired 53 total at West Vancouver.

The Elite 15 Cougars are back in action this weekend as they host OHA Edmonton for a pair of games on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m.. Both games are at Barkman Arena.