Following a thrilling best of three final, the Prince George based Northern Cougars are the 2014-15 BC Female Midget AAA hockey champions. They nipped the Fraser Valley Phantom 1-0 Sunday in the third and deciding game. Jocelyn Forrest notched the only goal and Kelsey Roberts earned her second straight shutout. Each team won a multi overtime game on Saturday: Fraser Valley 2-1 in double OT and the Northern Cougars 1-0 in triple OT. The Cougars will represent BC in the Pacific Midget Regional Championship against the Edmonton Thunder in Alberta, April 3-5. The winner advances to the 2015 Esso Cup in Red Deer.
–The Prince George Cougars finished 3rd in the BC Division with a record of 31-36-2-3, four points ahead of the Kamloops Blazers and nine in front of the Vancouver Giants. The Blazers and Giants were the only Western Conference teams to miss the playoffs. With nothing at stake, the Cougars lost their final regular season game 5-2 Saturday in Kamloops. The Cats clinched their first playoff spot in four years on Friday with a 3-1 triumph over the Blazers before 4,570 fans on fan appreciation night at CN Centre.
–The PG Cougars meet the Victoria Royals in the best of 7 WHL Western Conference quarter-final series. The dates are Friday and Saturday in Victoria, April 1st & 2nd in P.G., & if necessary, April 4th in Victoria, April 6th in P.G. and April 8th in Victoria.
–The other WHL opening round pairings have Kelowna against Tri-City, Everett vs. Spokane and Portland against Seattle in the West plus Brandon vs. Edmonton, Regina against Swift Current, Calgary vs. Kootenay and Medicine Hat against Red Deer in the East.
–The major midget Cariboo Cougars had their season come to an end on home ice following a 6-4 loss to the Vancouver North East Chiefs Saturday before approximately 700 fans at Kin 1. The Chiefs took the opener 5-3 Friday as they captured the BC Major Midget League Championship series 2-0. Vancouver North East is 6-0 in the playoffs. They will host the Pacific Midget Regional best of three final against the Alberta champion April 3 -5. The winner advances to the 2015 Telus Cup.
–A pair of game 7’s in the BCHL. The Penticton Vees blanked the Vernon Vipers 2-0 to win the Interior Division final 4-3. The Nanaimo Clippers edged the Powell River Kings 3-2 to capture the Island Division final 4-3. The Vees, Clippers and Mainland Division champion Chilliwack Chiefs will compete in a double round robin with the top two teams to advance to the Fred Page Cup best of 7 final. Nanaimo visits Penticton on Wednesday and Chilliwack is at Nanaimo Friday.
–The Prince George Spruce Kings are in search of a new head coach. Citing family reasons, Dave Dupas, who guided the Spruce Kings to their first playoff series victory in 10 years, stepped down after 4 1/2 years behind the bench. During his tenure in PG, Dupas’ wife and two sons remained in their family home in West Kelowna.
Photo: Courtesy of the Northern Cougars