The Manitoba AAA league has never been this close this early in the season. The top six teams are separated by seven points as the Christmas break approaches. Last weekend the Cougars earned a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Thrashers and then fell by the same score to the Eastman Selects in Beausejour. The Cougars now sit with a record of 18-4-3 for 39 points, good for fifth place. The Eastman Selects and Yellowhead Chiefs are one point ahead of the Cougars in the standings.
The Winnipeg Thrashers and Cougars met for the final time this season with the Cats picking up a third win over the Thrashers. The teams were scoreless for the first 20 minutes.
Jordan Boyechko broke the goose egg midway into the second frame with Austin Clyne and Rylan Gudnason picking up the assists. Hunter Wallace scored with the man advantage midway into the third with Cory King and Callum Fortin in on the goal. The Thrashers got on the board less than two minutes later. Landon Roberts then found the mark two minutes later for a 3-1 lead with Matthew Ramsey and King in on the goal. The Thrashers pulled to within a goal with 39 seconds left on the clock for the final score.
The Cougars fired 27 shots at Dawson Rattai, while Caden Wilson was busy in the Cougars net facing 34 shots. The Cougars lost Rylan Gudnason in the game with a major penalty and Tyson Kozak was away with Portland.
Sunday afternoon, the first period was scoreless and the Selects jumped out to a two-goal lead in the second. Grady Lane finally got the Cougars on the board at 9:06 of the third with a power play goal assisted by Ramsey. The Selects upped the score four minutes later for a two-goal lead.
The Cougars continued to battle and played the last nine minutes down a man as the officials tried to take the game over. Cody Shearer was given a match penalty in the third on a call that had people scratching their heads. Fortin was able to score a short-handed goal with just over three minutes to go, making it a one-goal game. Randy Cooke was solid in net, facing 28 shots, while the Cougars fired 44 at Danton Belluck.
The Cougars finish off December with a home and home series against Brandon, Friday night in Souris and off to the Sportplex Saturday night.
Pembina Valley will pay a visit to Souris the first weekend in January.
The Cougars wish everyone all the best in the holiday season and look forward to seeing you in 2019.
