Some positive signs, but Cougars drop three more games last week
By Bill Rea

Thomas Faris converted this scramble in front of the Erin net for the Cougars' second goal late in the first period of Thursday's contest.

The Schomberg Cougars turned in two fairly credible performances last week, but stuck arguably their weakest outing in between the two games.

The upshot was three more losses for the local junior C hockey heroes.

Thursday saw the Cougars showing they could keep up with their Erin Shamrock opponents during the first and third periods, even though they were badly outshot. Alas, Erin bagged three unanswered goals in the second and that paced them to a 7-4 win.

The two sides swapped goals in the first period, which ended in a 2-2 tie, but that was followed by rough times in the second. The Shamrocks added another goal in the first half of the third before Schomberg came back to life. They notched two power-play markers to draw within two, and pulled their goalie with a little more than a minute on the clock to try and save the effort. The Shamrocks put the puck into the empty net in the dying seconds to put the game away.

Mike Digirolamo led the way with two markers, while Pat Homersham and Thomas Faris added singles. Joe Digirolamo and Eddie Wiederer each drew two assists, while Blake Elliot, Matt Steenhoek, Mitch Ronan and Faris had one apiece.

Head Coach Gary Waldrum said his men committed a lot of "the same mental errors," which resulted in too many penalties.

"It's the mental discipline to stay out of the penalty box," he explained.

But he was pleased with the way the team stepped up in the third period.

"They didn't give up," he said. "I don't think they ever give up. But they let their emotions get the better of them. This cost them the opportunity to come back in the third."

Waldrum also lamented a lack of fan support. "The guys are working hard and would like to get a little support in their home rink," he commented.

It was a different story Saturday night when the Cougars visited Erin.

Waldrum called it "another step backwards in being responsible in their own end."

Schomberg actually led 2-1 at the end of the first period, but Erin had evened things in the first couple of minutes of the second, and were ahead by two before the Cougars were able to get back on the board. The Shamrocks quickly notched a short-handed marker, then added seven more tallies for the 12-3 win.

Brad Cantelon was the leading scorer for the Cougars with two power-play markers and an assist on the other goal, which was scored by Dave Munshaw. Elliot, Faris, Jake Whelan, Wiederer and Keith Thomson each earned assists on the evening.

The coach was pleased with the effort his men turned in in Stayner Sunday afternoon in their match against the Siskins, but they came up a goal short and lost 4-3.

"We played simply better hockey," he remarked, adding the team showed they can compete at this level.

For a change, the Cougars were ahead in the shots-on-goal department, 26-21. This was also the first full game between the Schomberg pipes for goalie Ben Ivany. "We played more responsibly in front of him," Waldrum said.

Cantelon, Wiederer and Mike Shuryn did the scoring. Cantelon, Steenhoek and Faris drew assists.

The Cougars remain in sixth place in the Georgian Mid- Ontario divisions standings with eight points, two better than the Midland Flyers. They aren't going to get much of a break this week, as they host the second-place Fergus Devils tomorrow (Thursday) night. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m.

They're on the road to Alliston Friday night to face the loop-leading Hornets. That game will start at 8:30.