Season complete

Recent Games        (Click on icons for info or photos) Date vs. Result   03/04 San Jose Jr. Sharks Championship Game W 3-0 03/03 SJ Jr. Sharks 10-U Girls W 7-3 03/02 Fresno Jr. Falcons W 6-0 02/25 SJ Jr. Sharks 10-U Girls L 6-5 For complete team record, see Record page

Cougars End Season With
Win Over Jr. Sharks 3:0

Last year when the Cougar Mites lost big, the score was 20-1 or the like.  This year our worst loss was 8-2 to Aliso Viejo, a team we beat the day before.  Last year we eked out victories in league play and took one championship in Lake Tahoe.  This year the team compiled a 36-2 record and took four championships, beating teams from Norcal, SoCal and Phoenix.  We averaged over 9 goals per game and only 2.25 goals against.

We did have some good games against the Jr. Sharks this year.  Timmy Starr and Brandon Bergado were a strong offensive force for the team in teal and goalie Sean Dickson turned away all but the impossible saves.  The game today was typical of play all year with the Cougars forcing play and developing lots of good chances only to be denied by Dickson.  And each time we forced play we needed to get back quickly anytime the dangerous Starr / Bergado duo were on the ice.

Vanny started the scoring midway through the first by winning a face-off just outside our offensive end, poking the puck between Bergado's skates and avoiding the Jr. Sharks defense for a wrist shot at close range.  Power play goal.

Minutes later the Cougars were down a man but good work by Spencer and Kurt kept the puck in the offensive end.  Kurt made a nice rush down the left side and then fed the puck back to Tristan.  Tristan fired a quick shot to the glove side just as the first period was ending.  Short handed goal.

Midway through the second period Sebastian did a nice job controlling the puck in the defensive end.  Tristan saw Sea-Bass's control and started racing down the ice ahead of the play.  Sea-Bass saw the streaking Tristan and made a great headman pass.  Tristan went to the backhand and slid the puck just past a diving Dickson for the third and last goal of the contest.

The Cougars continued to press and create scoring opportunities for the rest of the game although Dickson could not be beaten a fourth time.  Solid skating and good positioning by Spencer, Justin, Kurt and Sea-Bass kept the puck away from Jack.  Jack was tested a few times by Starr, once at very close range but turned away every attempt.  As we say back east, wicked good game, Jack.

The boys skated well today, covering for each other, back checking, holding their positions and generally doing a good job breaking out of the defensive end.  On the offensive side there was plenty of team play, good passing and smart positioning.  Will and Josh connected more than a few times today, each taking their turn to bang it out in the corners.  Since we generally mix one seasoned forward with two new players, we don't get the goal production we might if we put together one big line but the boys have learned to play hockey as a team and to do the right thing by passing rather than trying to everything alone.  These are skills which will be invaluable in the coming years.

Jack the Wall had another outstanding game, posting his second shutout in three Jamboree games.  Jack also had two shutouts during the pond hockey event, facing down some of his own teammates.  He's made great strides in the last few weeks and as long as mom can convince him that he really is Canadian (and thus limit baseball, soccer and other inconsequential sports) he'll be a monster in net next year for the Cougar Squirts.

Although some felt we had almost all '98s on the team, the fact is that half our squad will be eligible for Mites next year.  Kurt and Spencer are now well seasoned vets with two years of Mite hockey under their breezers.  John, Paul, Ryan and Bella have now survived their trial by fire and should be ready to anchor the team next year. 

Seven boys will be leaving the Cougar Mite fold well prepared for Squirt hockey.  With two tournaments coming in April in which the Cougar Mites are registered as a Squirt B team everyone going will get a jump on that level of hockey.  Do I see Sheldon rubbing his hands together in anticipation of next year?

Great year, Cougars! These dominating seasons are few and far between.  Regardless of your future win/loss records, we hope you'll never outgrow the excitement of playing the Greatest Game - even when you are old guys like Coach Jeff, Coach Dave, Coach Taku and Coach Mark.  We hope you'll always remember the fun you had with the great group of players that were the 2006-07 Cougar Mites.