Cougars endure three more losses in last week's play
By Bill Rea

Jason McMann was battling for the puck in the Flyers' zone in Friday's contest in Midland.

As if they don't have enough tough opposition, the Schomberg Cougars had to battle nature Friday night.

Their assignment was a match in Midland against the last-place Flyers, but it was complicated by very bad driving conditions, meaning only six players were suited up for the opening faceoff. Although more players arrived as the game progressed, the Flyers had an easy time in the first period as they piled up five unanswered goals, then added another in the second frame.

Schomberg was much stronger in the third period, outshooting Midland 20-8, but Flyer netminder Kyle Wingrove stood up for his mates. Dan Naccarato connected on an unassisted effort early in the frame, and his mates had a couple of other glorious chances to close the gap, but they ended up on the wrong side of the 6-1 final.

Head Coach Gary Waldrum had a hard time blaming the men who didn't show for the match, considering the youths who were killed the previous weekend driving from a hockey match.

"It's hard to get to Midland for the guys coming from school and work," he observed.

"We had a rough start," he added. "Virtually everything went wrong."

There were enough guys suited up for the later part of the game to dominate.

"The third period was ours," Waldrum agreed. "Their goaltender played well in the third."

It was a busy week for the Cougars, with Friday's match being the second of three in as many nights.

Thursday's was a thrilling contest which ended in a heart-breaking 5- 4 final for the hosting Stayner Siskins. The Cougars had been down 4-2 heading into the third period, but two goals saw things evened up. But less than a minute after they tied it up, the side surrendered the winning marker.

Shane Jones was a twogoal man for the team, while Scott Georgopoulos and Naccarato bagged the other two. Keith Thomson and brady Sluman each earned two assists, and singles were notched by Naccarato, Adrian Dupuis and Logan Artindale.

"We had a bit of a lapse in the second period," Waldrum commented later, noting that's when four of Stayner's goals came.

Saturday saw the local guys on the road again, but the hospitality was about the same as the previous two nights, as the Erin Shamrocks prevailed 8-3.

Blake Elliot scored a short-handed goal and Naccarato connected on the power play, while Dupuis got the other marker. Georgopoulos, Jason McMann, Elliot and Joe Digirolamo each drew assists.

Despite Friday's loss to Midland, the cougars are still ahead of them by five points in the Georgian Mid- Ontario standings in the Ontario Hockey Association.

The sixth place Cougars will close out the regular season this week with two home games.

They will host the Penetang Kings tomorrow (Thursday) night, starting at 8:15 p.m., then they will entertain the Shamrocks from Erin Saturday night. That contest will start at 7:30.