Cougars heading to GMOHL championship

Goaltender Taylor Ewart squares up while getting sprayed with snow against Alliston earlier this season. Ewart has collected a 2.78 goals-against-average en route to the GMOHL championship.

 

By Jake Courtepatte

 

The Junior C Schomberg Cougars are heading back to the Georgian Mid-Ontario Hockey League championship for the first time in 12 years.

They made quick work of the defending league champs the Penetang Kings in the semi-final best-of-seven, taking just one week to sweep the series in four games and book their ticket to the final.

With the offence clicking through much of the 2015 playoffs, the Cougars have enjoyed help from a number of newcomers including Cam Russell, acquired from the Midland Flyers late in the regular season.

He potted the first goal in Friday's third game in Penetang, adding an assist in a 5-3 win to take a strangehold on the series. Russell has been on a point-per-game pace in the playoffs.

Up three games to none and with the opportunity to clinch the berth at home on Monday, fans filled the stands at the Trisan Centre looking for some quality hockey action.

And did they get it.

Sniper John Gage opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the 2015 campaign just over two minutes in, matched by Nate Archer of the Kings before the end of the first period.

The Cougars exploded for four goals in the second frame, as two points each from Brandon Savoy and Derek Neilly had the home team up 5-2 heading to the final 20 minutes.

With their season hanging in the balance, the Kings rallied for three straight in the third, with regular season leading scorer Craig Robinson tying the game at five with just under three minutes remaining.

Less than a minute later, Gage sent the Kings home for good with his second of the game and the series clincher.

The 4-0 series win was the first sweep in the Cougars' franchise history.

Schomberg last found themselves in this position in the 2003 post-season, winning their only league title to date by downing the Stayner Siskins in six games.

In other semi-final action, the Alliston Hornets have been beating up on the seventh-place Orillia Terriers in a 3-1 series lead.

They will be looking to put the series to bed Friday at home at the New Tecumseth Rec Centre.

This season's Cougars-Hornets match ups have not been good to the Schomberg squad, as the Hornets have taken all six games, mostly by a wide margin. Their closest meeting was a 7-4 loss in early December.

Schedules are currently being completed for the championship series, with home-ice advantage up in the air. If the Hornets take the series, they will enjoy home-ice advantage as the league regular season champions.

If Orillia completes an unlikely comeback, the Cougars finish as the top-seeded team.

The Cougars reached the semifinal round after a 4-2 series win over the Huntsville Otters.

For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.schombergcougars.com.