A number of trades in the last week gave the Prince George Cougars a new average roster age of 17.5 years old.
This resulted in a taller mountain to climb against the red-hot Vancouver Giants, who opened the floodgates early in the contest to beat the Cats 5-1 Tuesday night.
FINAL: @PGCougars’ Taylor Gauthier stops all shots he faced, but offense couldn’t muster a comeback, losing 5-1 to @WHLGiants | #CityOfPG #Sports @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/vkwljsyFrY
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) January 10, 2018
Newest acquisition from the PA Raiders Austin Crossley stood out in his Prince George debut.
Though he didn’t get on the scoresheet, he was penciled in the starting line-up, had a plus-one rating, and five penalty minutes from a third period scrap against Giants’ veteran Darian Skeoch, something the 18-year-old says was a statement.
“The scrap was pretty tough, but you just got to work through it,” said the Fort St. John native on 94.3 the GOAT’s post-game show.
“I just wanted to let them know that we’re not backing down without a fight. I wanted to make them understands that we’re not just a bunch of pushovers.”
.@PGCougars’ Austin Crossley has had enough; drops gloves with @WHLGiants’ Skeoch while team is down 5-1 in the final frame | #CityOfPG #Sports @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/bDUtKXNHBs
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) January 10, 2018
Jared Bethune potted the lone goal for the Cougars unassisted late in the first period, when the score read 3-1 for Vancouver.
PG starting goaltender Tavin Grant was pulled after allowing five goals on 21 shots halfway through the game and replaced by 16-year-old Taylor Gauthier, who stopped all 10 shots he faced from the visitors.
.@PGCougars pull Tavin Grant & replace him with Taylor Gauthier after @WHLGiants make it 5-1 in the 2nd period; crowd gives 16yo netminder a warm reception | #CityOfPG #Sports @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/5JoiyZUJrD
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) January 10, 2018
Cougars’ Head Coach Richard Matvichuk believes despite the first two periods, the team is looking very competitive, even with his fresh new faces.
“Our coaching staff’s message is you have to finish your checks, you actually have to put the pucks deep, and you have to do the right things. At the same time though, you have to give our guys credit; there’s a lot going on here with the trade deadline, and the accountability with our young guys, and our old guys, is that you have to be able to work, and if you’re not going to be able to work, you’re not going to play.”
When asked why Captain Dennis Cholowski was listed as a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s game, Matvichuk says it was for precautionary reasons in case a trade had occurred.
He says nothing official has happened with the Detroit Red Wings prospect, but adds anything can happen leading up to until today’s 2PM WHL trade deadline.
The Cougars’ record drops to 15-19-4-3, two points behind Kamloops for fourth in the BC Division.
Prince George wraps up its mid-week doubleheader against Vancouver today, 7PM at the CN Centre.
.@PGCougars’ Head Coach Richard Matvichuk says nothing has happened yet in terms of possibly trading Captain Dennis Cholowski; adds he was scratched tonight “as a precaution” in case something happened | #CityOfPG #Sports @mypgnow pic.twitter.com/4k3Rh7hNRn
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) January 10, 2018
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