Cougar on Cougar recap

author: konstantin khariotnov | sports editor

Just win baby/Authur Images

If you only assume there is one Cougar team, good luck following this!

If there is anything resembling a perfect team for the Cougars to face, it has to be Mount Royal University. Both hockey teams were coming off disappointing losses to their archrivals, University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and wanted some redemption.

On the men’s side, they travel to face the confusingly named Mount Royal Cougars (those poor timekeepers) in Calgary, with the first game being an absolutely beautiful display of offence and extremely poor defence. Back and forth the two teams went, as each held the lead at various points of the game, vigorously changing at a moments notice. Eleven different players scored in the game.

Surprisingly enough, the teams remained tied after three periods, and with overtime solving nothing, the two Cougars were headed to a shootout. From there the heroes were Ian McNulty and Zak Zborosky score on their attempts, sealing the win for the Regina Cougars.

Unfortunately, the not-as-cool other Cougars got their revenge the next day with a shootout win of their own, winning 5-4. This was another back and forth event, with neither team holding a two-goal lead. Again, overtime solves nothing and in the shootout, the Cougars were not able to continue their luck from last game, after in the 7th round of the shootout.

On the women’s side, it was even more successful for the team in green. The Regina Cougars had welcomed in those dang copycats by going 3-0 in the first game. Finally feeling welcomed, Mount Royal quickly made it within one before Jaycee Magwood banked in the insurance marker for the good Cougars, securing the 4-2 win.

The next game started in reverse to the first one, with Mount Royal scoring in the first period. Early in the second, the hometown Cougars tie the game up, before letting in another one 58 seconds later. However, the not cool Cougars could not hold on to their lead heading into 2nd intermission, with the U of R plopping one in before the buzzer. In the 3rd, the Regina Cougars were able to pull away with the game winner from Jenna Grube, and the U of R winning 3-2.

So far pretty good right? Both Regina teams had a combined record of 3-0-1 and 7 out of a possible 8 points against MRU.

Unfortunately for both teams, they fell flat on their faces against the University of British Columbia the next week. Double unfortunate was for the men’s who weren’t able to respond with a win like the women were able to.

However, in a rare case, both hockey teams were able to perform valiantly against a common foe. As such, if the season turns out to be a long and gloomy one for either team, at least they can mark their calendars for the next time the Cougars meet with the other name-stealing Cougars. Blimey, this was a hard one to follow.