Cougars pull close to Otters with late win

November 28, 2018 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

A battle of two teams looking to right their ship in the Provincial Junior Hockey League resulted in a crucial two points for the Schomberg Cougars on Friday night.
Facing the Huntsville Otters on the road, the Junior C squad fell behind early on a first period penalty kill, before rebounding with three of the next four goals to secure a 3-2 regulation win.
With Huntsville’s Daniel Vandal-Courte in the box for interference early in the second period, Mitchell Robinson tied the game for the road team with his fourth of the season.
Special teams continued to shine in the opening three minutes of the third, when Owen Heilemann was sprung on the penalty kill for a shorthanded marker and Schomberg’s first lead of the game.
Huntsville pressed for the equalizer around the midway point of the final frame, though Alexander Cordeiro put home the game winner with just 25 seconds left on the clock.
Matthew Lolli was solid between the pipes in his first start in over a month, picking up his first win of the season in stopping 15 of the 17 pucks he faced.
With wins in three of their last four, Schomberg has put together a nice string of success after a slow start to the year, now sitting just three points back of Huntsville for seventh place in the Carruthers division: albeit with three games in hand.
The only blip on the Cougars’ schedule since early November came one night prior in Stayner against the high-flying Siskins, where a four-goal second period for the home team was the undoing for Schomberg in an otherwise equal match-up.
Josh Morrison notched the only goal of the opening frame to give the Cougars’ the early lead, before the Siskins put five straight on the board in a 6-2 final.
Thomas Foulds also found the back of the net for the Cougars.
The pair of points in Friday’s victory was a welcomed turn of events for the Cougars, as Huntsville had bested Schomberg in their two previous meetings this season.
The two will square off for the final time on Dec. 6 in Schomberg.
This week’s schedule features just one game for the Cougars, who host the Midland Flyers (11-10-1-0) at the Trisan Centre on Thursday.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.
For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.jrccougars.pointstreaksites.com.