The Cougars had the kind of weekend that moved them into third place in the 13-team league. The Cougars defeated the Winnipeg Thrashers for the second time in just over a week by a score of 3-2. Saturday afternoon they defeated the Norman Northstars 6-3 to complete the showcase weekend. Then Sunday afternoon they went to overtime at the Iceplex before the Winnipeg Wild won 4-3.
Cougars vs Thrashers
Callum Fortin opened the scoring from Braeden Lewis and Hunter Andrew. Fortin made it 2-0 early in the second from Trent Sambrook and Tyson Kozak. The Thrashers came storming back and tied the score with a power play marker as they outplayed the Cougars only to have Randy Cooke hold the fort finishing the game facing 41 shots.
Fortin completed the hat trick early in the third from Braeden Lewis and Cody Shearer as the Cougars hung on for the win. Cooke made some huge saves to preserve the win as the Cougars fired 31 on the Thrashers net.
Cougars vs Norman
The Cougars jumped out to a 4-1 lead over Norman in the first. Kozak and Cory King opened the scoring. Norman evened the score before Hunter Andrew hooked up with Jordan Boyechko for the lead. Cody Gudnason upped the lead from Fortin. King then finished the first period scoring from Kozak and Matthew Ramsey.
The Northstars got one back to start the second before Andrew hooked up with Kozak and Ramsey with the man advantage as the Cougars jumped out to a 5-2 lead after two.
The third was a scoreless affair until Rylan Gudnason scored into the empty net with Cory King helping out. Caden Wilson earned the win with a 25-save performance.
Cougars vs Wild
Sunday afternoon in Winnipeg, the Cougars and the Wild had their first meeting of the year. The game was a see-saw battle with the Wild escaping with a 4-3 overtime win on a power play goal four minutes into the extra time.
The teams were scoreless after the first, tied at 2 after the second and tied at 3 after the third. The Wild jumped out to a two-goal lead, and Fortin got the Cougars on the board at the 11-minute mark. Hunter Wallace scored 43 seconds later to even the score at two.
The Wild made it a 3-2 game early in the third before Fortin scored his fifth goal of the weekend with 7 seconds left in the third to send the game to extra time.
The Wild took advantage of a Cougar penalty, scoring the game winner in the fourth minute of extra time. Randy Cooke faced 37 shots and the Cougars fired 37 on the Wild net.
The Cougars face the first-place Yellowhead Chiefs Oct. 26 in Shoal Lake, before hosting the Parkland Rangers at the Shamrock Center in Killarney on Saturday, Oct. 27.
Don’t forget to get your NHL DRAFT from any Cougar player.
