It will take a lot more than four days for the anger, frustration and disappointment to subside for the Prince George Cougars and their supporters.
With the oldest roster in the WHL (15 of 23 players aged 19 or 20), the Cougars were a team built to win in the 2017 playoffs, and not lose in the first round for a third consecutive year.
To the Winterhawks credit, Portland was younger, faster and hungrier with a better transition game, particularly in crunch time during the six game Western Conference quarter-final.
It’s been a long 10 years since the Cougars won a playoff series.
In 2007, the Cats swept Kamloops 4-0, and beat Everett 4-2 before losing the Western Conference Final four games to one to Vancouver. (The Giants went on to lose the 2007 League final 4-3 to Medicine Hat).
There was promise, belief, and expectation that the 2016-17 Cougars could go on a similar run, which is a reason they loaded up with in season acquisitions of Brendan Guhle, Nikita Popugaev, and Radovan Bondra.
Halfway thru the Portland series, Prince George looked like the team that would advance.
The Cats led two games to one, winning Games Two and Three by a combined 11-2 score, and they also enjoyed a 4-3 lead after two periods in game four before the sudden crash.
The Winterhawks scored two unanswered goals in the third for a 5-4 triumph and that was followed by a 5-3 Portland victory in game five, and a 4-2 win in game six.
Portland outscored PG 11-5 over the last seven periods.
Bingo! It’s over like that and no one knows for sure what happened.
We are left to only guess why the supposed more talented team succumbed to a wild card entry.
Perhaps the Cougars put so much effort into finishing in first place, going wire to wire, that they had little energy left.
Chemistry is a key word and maybe the mix of players just wasn’t there.
And then there’s the “pressure”. Some teams handle it much better than others.
I don’t know the reason(s) why the Cougars made a quick exit.
But let me throw this out and it may be a minority view.
In retrospect, could it be that the Cougars “overachieved”?
They started 8-0 which perhaps gave a false hope since many rosters are not settled that early in the season.
Never during the 72 games did the Cougars slip to 2nd place in the B.C. Division, but at the end, Prince George was only a point better than Kelowna and a mere five wins ahead of Portland, a 4th place finisher in the U.S. Division.
In other words, the standings showed there was little to choose between many of the Western Conference teams.
Yes, the Cougars had an old roster but none of their players, including the new pick-ups, had enjoyed any previous playoff success.
Why then was there the hype or anticipation of a possible WHL title or Memorial Cup with a group of players that never enjoyed a lengthy post-season run?
Let’s remember when the votes were counted there were no P.G. Cougar all-stars and none of their players, coach or G.M. were nominated for an individual league award.
Yes, at the time, the Cougars felt shafted by a lack of respect similar to when none of their teenagers were invited to Canada’s world junior team selection camp in December.
In addition, Prince George had not been ranked in the CHL top 10 for the last five weeks of the season after being in that list the previous 19 weeks.
This is an indication from outside voters that the team’s performance was slipping.
Were many PG hockey enthusiasts just ignoring the signs and expecting too much?
I was like most in the city and thought that P.G. would beat Portland, but I have also been around long enough that I wasn’t shocked with the upset, especially from a Mike Johnston coached team that has a track record of winning.
In the end, the Cougars have their first division banner in 23 years to show for their efforts in 2016-17.
Yes, that does account for something, otherwise there is no sense in playing those 72 games.
At this moment, that may not feel like enough, especially for a team that sports a 3-12 playoff record over the last three years.
However, down the road it would not be surprising if fans came to appreciate the efforts made by the Cougars.
Would winning two rounds in this year’s playoffs have been better than a first place regular season?
That is a matter of perspective and debate.
Keep in mind there is only one WHL team out of 22 that wins a championship and advances to play in the Memorial Cup.
Does that mean the other 21 lose?
I’m not sure there is a correct answer to that.
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In case you were wondering, the Everett Silvertips-Victoria Royals 2017 WHL playoff game on Sunday was slightly longer than the Prince George Spruce Kings–Camrose Kodiaks 2007 RBC semi-final at CN Centre.
Former PG Cougar and the much travelled Cal Babych ended the longest game in CHL history when he scored his 2nd goal of the game at 11:36 of the 8th period (quintuple overtime) to give the Silvertips a 3-2 victory and the series, 4-2.
The game lasted 151 minutes and 36 seconds. The shots were 75-66 for Everett.
Ex-Cariboo Cougar Griffen Outhouse of Likely, B.C. made 72 saves for the Royals while Carter Hart stopped 64 shots for the Silvertips.
The Spruce Kings-Kodiaks unforgettable marathon 10 years ago at CN Centre lasted 146 minutes and one second, the longest game in RBC history.
Jordan Yuel of the Spruce Kings scored at 6:01 of the 5th overtime; winning goalie Jordan White stopped 91 of 93 shots.
It was a six hour survival of the fittest that ended just after 1AM on May 13th, 2007.
I doubt I will ever witness in person another game that long again.
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose is out for the rest of the NBA season; which makes him luckier than Knicks season ticket holders.
Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
The man who holds the world’s consecutive free throw record (Tom Amberry) has died at age 94. His top mark was 2,750 in a row. That beat Shaquille O’Neal’s NBA best by only 2,748.
Comedy writer Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va., http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.com/
World ranked #1 golfer Dustin Johnson withdrew from The Masters tournament due to a freak injury. He tripped and fell down a flight of stairs in the home he rented at Augusta. “Why didn’t I think of that?” said Eldrick Woods.
Comedy writer Tony Chong of Vancouver
MLB is considering introducing ‘stickier’ baseballs. You see—Gaylord Perry was ahead of his time.
Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Hear about the Wisconsin farmer who took 12 female pigs and 10 male deer to the Green Bay Packers’ ticket office? He’d heard a game-day suite would cost 22 sows and bucks.
Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
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Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat. He also is the 94.3 radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games. His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]
Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller