Cougars find first win of the season on the road

September 24, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
The Schomberg Cougars have finally found their offensive groove, four games into the Georgian Mid-Ontario Hockey League season.
The team hosted the Stayner Siskins last Thursday, with Brandon Savoy opening the scoring for the Cougars in the second for the 1-0 lead.
However, back-to-back Stayner power play goals put the Cougars in a hole they could not crawl out of, eventually dropping the game 4-2 for their second loss in as many games.
The Cougars were dismantled the next day in Alliston, shutout 8-0 after having lost to the Hornets 5-0 two games earlier.
The busy week ended in Fergus on Sunday, who were fresh off their first win of the season a day earlier in Erin.
The Fergus Devils were looking to impress the home-opener crowd early, when just 15 seconds into the game Jack Vautour dug the puck out of the offensive corner to find Paolo Chemello in front, who one-timed it past Cougar goaltender Alex Gamoyda.
The Cougars got their opportunity only two minutes later, when an extensive 5-on-3 power play resulted in a goal by John Gage, who beat the Devils keeper short-side on a rebound from a shot by defenceman Blake Culley.
The floodgates opened up for the Cougars on the same power play, when Tristan Joseph would make a beautiful cross-ice pass to Brandon Yorke who found the top corner on a one-timer from the point.
Another Cougar goal by Connor Whiteside less than a minute later chased Fergus goaltender David Serra from the net, who allowed three goals on three shots less than five minutes into the game.
J.P. Crescenzi gave the Cougars some early insurance in the tail end of the first, when a backhand pass from Francesco Corona from the corner found its way past two Fergus defenders to the front of the net and right on Crescenzi’s stick.
The Devils were given some life shortly into the second period with a long 5-on-3. A scramble in front of the Cougar net led to Mike Traves scoring the Devils second goal of the game.
But the Cougars shut the door on a Fergus comeback only one minute later, when a quick breakout led to Cougar Ian Reid finding the bottom far corner for a shorthanded goal.
The teams each exchanged a goal in the third, resulting in a 6-3 win for Schomberg, their first of the season.
The Cougars next face off at home against the Midland Flyers, Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at the Trisan Centre.
For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.schombergcougars.com.