Cougars Storm Into Off-Season
No Help From Other Teams Offset Big Wins

March 13, 2004 at Bridgepointe 1 2 3   T     Santa Clara (3-12-1) 0 1 0 1 COUGARS (10-4-2) 4 4 3 11 Box Score   Cougars Goals Steven Stichler (5), Alex Ochowicz, Greg Schuck, Kyle Kiaski, Thomas Steiner Tyler Montague, Kenzo Nakamura

March 13
The Cougars finished their late season run with an 11-1 obliteration of the Santa Clara Blackhawks today at Bridgepointe.  They wound up being the hottest team in the league at the end of the season, but that turned out to be not enough to qualify for a playoff spot as none of the 15-20 different scenarios over the last three weeks that would have resulted in vaulting the Cougars into the top four, actually did.  The final result found 2nd/3rd place teams with 23 points and the Cougars tied for the 4th/5th spot with 22 points but they lost the tiebreaker.

So why didn't the 10-4-2 Cougars qualify?  How about the 0-2 record against both Oakland and San Jose, or the ties against Tri-Valley and Berkeley?  The Cougars dug themselves into this hole based on these games and had to hope for some favorable results in the other games.  A couple of weeks ago, things looked really positive and who could have predicted the undefeated Bears would not win either of it's last two games.

What a roll they would have been on going into the playoffs!  Their record in the last four games - 4-0, outscoring their opponents 34-5 and out-shooting them 157-56!  This is definitely a team that could have made an impact.

(Insert sound of the infamous fat lady)

To summarize today's game, it was basically Steven-Paul Stichler and his supporting cast as he pounded in 5 goals (plus an assist), including a natural hat-trick in the second period.  Wow!  (Aaron - rumor has it you said you'd shave your head or wear a skirt or something if someone scored five goals.  The club banquet would be a good time to sport your new look.)  His supporting cast included six other goal-scorers (Kyle Kiaski, Kenzo Nakamura, Tyler Montague, Thomas Stiener, Alex Ochowicz and Greg Schuck), a solid day in net from Carlos Sanchez, some body-pounding from Sean Buxton, and from the rest of the team as they executed superbly all over the ice for one of the best all-around games of the year.

Thanks everybody for everything you have done over the past 7 months for the team on the ice and off.  To the players for their heart they took onto the ice and left there, and the blood and sweat that came along with it.  To the parents and their commitment in time and finances to their sons and the help you provided over the course of the season.  And last, to the coaching staff (Aaron Mullagh, Jerry Fragoza and Dominic Mamon) for their enthusiasm and commitment to the team, and for everything you taught our kids about the game of hockey and the game of life.

(Insert Taps here)

The Cougars Midget 16A team is coached by Aaron Mullagh, Dominic Mamon and Jerry Fragoza.  Practice times for the season are Monday from 6:45pm to 7:45pm (solo), Friday from 9:45pm to 11:00pm (combined with Bantam A team) and a Power Skating session on Wednesdays from 9:00pm to 10:00pm.  Monday and Friday practices are at Bridgepointe, and Power Skating on Wednesdays is at Belmont.