Cougars’ struggles continue
There are different kinds of five-game losing streaks for different hockey teams.
For a junior squad that plays a 72-game regular season, there’s plenty of time to recover from such a skid. For a university team that plays just 28 regular-season games, a five-game slide can be devastating.
The University of Regina Cougars men’s hockey team is getting dangerously close to falling into the latter category. After a 3-0 loss Saturday to the Mount Royal University Cougars at the Co-operators Centre, Regina is 0-3-2 in its past five and has fallen into fifth place in Canada West.
Unlike a junior team, the Cougars — thanks to their schedule — can’t try to get right back on the horse.
“Because it’s six days before you play again, it’s tough (for a university team to rally),” said Cougars head coach Todd Johnson, referring to the typical FridaySaturday slate.
“Usually in junior, you want to play again the next night. Here, it’s six days. But now we’ve got a bye (next weekend), so we’ve got a two-week wait.”
Johnson wasn’t at all happy after Saturday’s loss, suggesting his team’s habits and level of competition have to change if the Cougars are to snap out of their doldrums.
The trouble for Johnson is that it may be easier for a coach to handle such issues in junior than in the university ranks.
“In junior hockey, everyone is there to play at the next level,” said Johnson, who played and coached in the WHL. “You (as a coach) have a lot more influence. You can address things, whether that’s by guys playing or not playing. You play so many games that you’re able to do that.”
Also complicating things for Johnson is the fact he’s dealing with a roster full of university students. The players have to concentrate as much on their schooling as they do on their hockey — and some may end up taking a five-game losing streak to class with them.
“It all depends on the guy,” said fourth-year defenceman Jordan Reeve, a three-time CIS Academic All-Canadian. “Some guys will dwell on it and it can be really poisonous when you dwell on it in your every-day life.
“It does fester, but you’ve got to do the best you can to put it behind you and look forward to how you can fix things.”
Johnson, who played university hockey with the Calgary Dinos, admitted the hockey team’s woes were on his mind when he was in class because of his competitive nature.
“It didn’t sit well with me,” Johnson recalled. “But when I played, we had so many guys on the team who felt the same way that losing streaks didn’t last very long.”
Regina has been outscored 20-10 in the losing streak, which includes three defeats in regulation time, one in a shootout and one in overtime.
The loss Saturday dropped the Cougars’ record to 9-11-2 for 20 points, one fewer than the fourth-place Manitoba Bisons (9-10-3).
Mount Royal (8-11-1) is three points behind Regina in sixth place and the seventh-place UBC Thunderbirds (7-12-1) are five points back. The top six teams make the playoffs.
The Cougars’ final six regular-season games include two each against the Bisons, Alberta Golden Bears (currently in second place at 182-0) and Saskatchewan Huskies (third, 12-9-1).
“Things aren’t going our way right now, but all you can do is look to the future and try to build on things,” Reeve said. “You’re not going to get anywhere by sulking and looking at what you’ve done wrong in the past.”
“Honestly, we’re really close,” noted third-year defenceman John Sonntag. “A couple of little mental mistakes here and there have cost us.
“I think the puck’s going to start bouncing our way soon. It’s got to.”
Mount Royal’s Dalyn Flette made 20 saves for the shutout Saturday. Cody Cartier, with two, and Tyler Fiddler had goals for the visitors.
Andrew Hayes stopped 32 shots in Regina’s net.