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A Winning Tradition Of Excellence
Game Story

Cougars Wander Into The Valley

The Cougars took their 6-0 record into Port Alberni for the first time. The expansion Bombers haven’t won a contest yet, but the opening period showed they are more than capable. Blake Power scored his 3rd and 4th of the season to have the Bombers up on the undefeated Cougars 3-2 after 1.

The middle frame was heavily tilted in the favour of the Cougars. Victoria was outshooting Port Alberni 14-4 in the period at the mid-way point of the 2nd. Highlighted by a beauty goal by Ben Brant after being sprung by Beavan on the breakaway to tie the game at 3. Keelan Hondro was hard at work between the pipes for the Bombers and kept the score tied on his own a few times. Both Estey and Anderson were robbed cold on breakaways of their own. Hondro made some very nice saves throughout the game, but he made pure highlight reel saves several times in the 2nd, and he had too as he faced 20 shots in the middle frame.

The Cougars were able to take their first lead of the game 5 minutes into the 3rd after Chase Barlow got his first goal as a Cougar on the power play. The goal came after a round was left along the side of the net and Barlow was looking at nothing but empty net. The remainder of the period was fairly even with chances both ways, but the highlight, if you can call it that, was a controversial call on Ethan Roworth for goalie interference after Hondro came flying out of his net to break up a possible breakaway. Roworth was charging the puck and so was Hondro leading to both colliding. Roworth was called for interference on the goalie where Hondro was closer to the blue line than his net. This led to a hand full of penalties both ways. In the final minutes with Hondro on the bench for the extra man the Cougars take a penalty with 13 seconds left to give the Bombers a 6 on 4 and the face-off in the Cougars zone. The face-off was a scramble and had the Bomber get one shot off, but Power sailed it over the net. The Cougars move to 7-0 but the Bombers played hard and came close.

Next up for the Cougars is Thursday at home for Truth and Reconciliation Day. Wear Orange and show support as Elder Elmer George from the Songhees First Nation speaks. Oceanside will take on the Cougars. 7pm game time.