Cougars notch pair of wins

September 24, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Jeff Doner

The Schomberg Cougars began the week on a rough note at home, but redeemed themselves by picking up a couple big wins on the road last weekend.
Starting with an uninspiring 8-2 home game loss against the Stayner Siskins on Thursday, the Cougars seemed to still be showing some nerves playing in their own building.
Coach Jim Egerton wasn’t impressed with his club’s performance on home ice.
“Stayner came in here with a short bench and I think they out-worked us, out-skated us and they scored some nice goals on some nice shots,” he said after the game. “We weren’t getting a lot of bounces around their net, but for the most part I think we just got outworked in our own arena, which is unacceptable.”
The Cougars held an early lead when rookie Ryley Egerton scored just one minute into the game, with Cailean Thornton-Wilson and Chris Wilson drawing the assists.
Before the period was over, Stayner added two goals to take the lead heading into the second.
Just as in the first, the Cougars scored a quick goal to tie the game. JP Crescenzi hit the mesh, assisted by Christian Muenz.
But the Cougars seemed to implode at that point, as they fought the puck for the rest of the game.
The Siskins added six unanswered goals to fortify their lead and embarrass the Cougars in front of the home crowd.
Rookie goalie Garett Taylor was relieved midway through the game in favour of veteran Taylor Ewart.
Egerton said Taylor was most likely feeling some nerves in his home building after coming off a big win against Midland last week.
“I think our young guys and our rookie goalie, who we started tonight, maybe he had some nerves too in his first home game, but it’s early in the season and this is where you learn, from games like these,” he said. “Hopefully next time we play these guys we’ll be ready for them, because they definitely outplayed us tonight.”
Egerton said he was hoping his team would be able to carry the momentum from Midland over to the Stayner game to help get ready for a big game against the Alliston Hornets the next night.

Cougars down Hornets in shootout

The Cougars must have listened to their coach well, as they took to the road to face the rival Hornets in a penalty filled matchup that would be decided in a shootout.
Ewart started in goal for Cougars and 21 saves on 25 shots and stopping six of seven Hornets in the shootout.
It was a classic come-from-behind win for Schomberg, who were spurred forward by a second period hat-trick rookie Nicholas Chaykowsky to help the Cougars dig themselves out of a hole.
Chaykowsky assisted on JP Crescenzi’s game tying goal with just 5:30 left on the clock.
Cailean Thornton-Wilson and Ryley Egerton scored in the shootout to deliver a redeeming 5-4 win for the Cougars, who were bested by the Hornets in their season opener.

Cougars dump Fergus

Seemingly flying high, the Cougars trotted into Fergus with a little bit of swagger in what would become another penalty filled affair.
Ewart once again got the start in goal turning away 17 of the 19 shots Fergus fired his way in a 6-2 Cougar win.
The offence was buoyed by some familiar players who have been on fire as of late, with Ryley Egerton getting his team on the board to tie the game.
Muenz and Blake Culley both connected for a goal and three assists and Thornton-Wilson netted a goal and an assist.
Earlier in the week, Culley said it has been a rough start for his team, but chalked it up to just early season jitters and correctly predicted his team would learn a lesson from the game against Stayner.
“It’s been a rough start to the year, but we’re a much younger team, but we’re starting to come together now,” he said. “It’s early in the season, but near the end tonight (against Stayner) when guys we’re getting hit from behind we were standing up for each other, so there are some positives.”
The Cougars will try to get their first home win of the season when they welcome the Penetang Kings to the Trisan Centre on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8:30.