Cougars quickly losing ground in GMOHL standings

November 5, 2014 · 0 Comments

JP Crescenzi picked up his sixth goal of the year in last Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Stayner Siskins.

By Jake Courtepatte
The Junior C Schomberg Cougars once again had trouble finding the back of the net last week, dropping two games and bringing their current losing streak to six games.
They opened up the week’s schedule by heading north Thursday to visit the Stayner Siskins, who were nipping at the heels of the Cougars in league standings.
Schomberg came out strong, as Brandon Yorke took a pass from Kiefer McIntosh just two minutes in for the game’s opening goal.
The celebration didn’t last long though, as the Siskins potted one of their own less than a minute later.
Now down 2-1, the Cougars were given a glorious opportunity when two Stayner players would receive stick penalties on the same whistle for a full two-minute 5-on-3 Cougar power play.
With lots of room on the ice, Yorke and veteran JP Crescenzi went to work, with Yorke setting up Crescenzi for his first goal in four games. Stayner answered back a few minutes later, and took a 3-2 lead into the dressing room.
While the two teams exchanged a goal each in the second period, not much was done in terms of offence in the third. The game devolved into a brawl in the frame, marked by two game misconducts and 22 minutes in penalties.
The 4-3 win for Stayner put the Siskins just one point back of the Cougars, and have since lept over them with two more wins over the weekend.

Terriers bare teeth

The Orillia Terriers have been one of the hottest teams in the Georgian Mid-Ontario Hockey League as of late, winning five of their last six. The Cougars were in town Saturday night, looking to reverse fortunes.
Ewart once again got the nod, looking for his first win since Oct. 12. The Terriers squeaked one by him four minutes in, for the early 1-0 lead.
Despite early penalty trouble, including a full minute of killing off a 5-on-3 power play, the Cougars strong special teams held on to the one-goal deficit heading into the first intermission.
The Cougars peppered the Terriers’ net with shots in the second, putting 22 pucks on net without success.
Now down 2-0 in the third, Yorke put his team on the board with his team-high tenth goal of the season, with helpers coming from John Gage and Tristan Joseph.
That would be as close as the Cougars would get, as Orillia would add three unanswered goals in the third for a final score of 5-1.
Despite the loss, Ewart had a strong game in a 41-save effort. At the other end of the rink, Terriers goaltender Gordie Weiss stood on his head the whole game, making 44 saves on 45 Cougar shots.
The continuing losing streak has forced the Cougars to third-last in league standings, falling behind Stayner, Orillia, and the Caledon Golden Hawks. The team will try to turn their luck around with a three-game homestand, beginning Thursday night against the Huntsville Otters.
For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.schombergcougars.com.