Literally.
The Elite 15 Cougars improved to 2-0 during their Canadian Sport School Hockey League Showcase tournament in Caronport on Saturday with a commanding 8-1 victory over Pursuit of Excellence while the Midget Varsity squad followed their 4-1 win over Okanagan Hockey Academy on Friday with a 7-3 victory over POE on Saturday.
Both teams are currently unbeaten on the season, with the Elite 15s now 3-0 and Midget Varsity 2-0.
Elite 15 Cougars 8, POE 1
Odds are that even if the Cougars go undefeated on the season and win the CSSHL championship, they won’t put together a more dominant game than what they did on Saturday morning.
PHA scored four times in the first period while outshooting Pursuit of Excellence 25-1 in the process and never looked back in taking the commanding win.
The final shots ended up 54-22 in favour of the Cougars, a number made even more impressive in that PHA was hit with eight straight penalties from 6:25 of the second to 16:55 of the third and didn’t allow a single goal in that span. In fact, Pursuit finished 0-for-10 on the power play, while PHA scored on two of their four chances.
Nikolas Smolinski led the offence with a goal and two assists, while Jed Magarell, Caden Drury, Carter Wickenheiser, Beau Helmeczi and Daxton Lang all added a goal and an assist. Jackson Allan and McKale Paul each had single markers, Dryden Jeannot picked up two assists.
Mason Windsor scored the lone goal for POE.
Bodee Weiss picked up the win in goal with 21 saves, Ryder Frisk stopped 46 shots for Pursuit.
The Elite 15s are back in action Sunday morning when they close out the Showcase against Rink Hockey Academy. Game time is 10:30 a.m. at Barkman Arena in Caronport.
Midget Cougars 4, OHA 1
The Cougars broke a 1-1 tie with three goals in the final nine minutes to secure the victory in their season opener in Calgary.
Garret Hachey, Mikkel Hrechka and Lang Lee all scored unassisted goals in third period, with Hachey and Hrechka’s markers coming only 46 seconds apart midway through the frame.
Walker Douglas opened scoring 3:46 into the game to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead after the first period. Braeden Lalli got that one back for OHA on the power play at the 10:47 mark of the second period.
Lalli’s marker saw Okanagan finish 1-for-4 on the power play, PHA was 0-for-4.
Brady Hsiao made 34 saves to earn the win, Callum Burgess turned aside 36 for Okanagan.
Midget Cougars 7, POE 3
Things were a little more interesting in the Midget Varsity Cougars’ second game, as they built a 3-0 lead by the time the second period was four minutes old, only to find themselves holding a one-goal edge heading into the third.
Three goals in the first 6:05 of the final frame put PHA comfortably in front once again, though, and they’d hold on for the comfortable win.
Hachey picked up two goals and an assist while Colton Aikens scored once with two helpers. Hrechka and Zach Ashworth had a goal and an assist each, Josh Prebushewski and Tyson Kistner added their other markers.
Alec McDonald, Jordan Radke and Tristen Bear scored for Pursuit.
Ryley Gross had a 33 save performance in goal for PHA, Carson Irmen made 21 stops for POE.
Next action for the Midget Varsity Cougars is Saturday night against Shawnigan Lake School before they close out the Showcase against Coeur d’Alene on Sunday morning.
