By Jeff Gard/Today’s Northumberland
The Cobourg Cougars will need to take a one-game-at-a-time approach to get back into their Ontario Junior Hockey League South-East Conference final against the Toronto Jr. Canadiens.
They are in a two-game hole in the best-of-five series and on the brink of elimination following a 5-2 loss to the Jr. Canadiens in Game 2 on Monday night in front of 979 spectators at the Cobourg Community Centre.
Three straight goals in the third period, including two empty-net tallies, after the Cougars had tied the game at two proved to be the difference for the Jr. Canadiens, which will host Game 3 in Toronto on Wednesday evening at 7:30.
“They’re a really fast team in transition like we talked about at the beginning of the series. We were right there tonight. We had lots of chances, it was a one-goal game and if a couple bounces go the right way maybe we’re having a different conversation,” said Cougars head coach Wes Wolfe.
“I think our power play needs to do a better job of generating some scoring chances for us, penalty kill was outstanding tonight and gave us some momentum.
“All we can do now is focus on one. We’re not going to win three games all at once. We’ve just got to go and win the next one and go from there.”
Ben Van Waterschoot opened the scoring for the Jr. Canadiens just 27 seconds into the contest and what turned out to be the only goal of the first period.
Cobourg, which killed off three penalties in the first, started the second period with a full two-minute power play after Toronto took a penalty at the end of the opening frame, but didn’t register a shot on goal.
Toronto’s Christian Catalano scored soon after at the 2:38 mark of the second to make it 2-0.
Zach Smith responded for the Cougars to cut the deficit to one at 5:43 when he deked out Jr. Canadiens goaltender Selby Warren who was without his stick.
Cobourg’s Andy Reist tied the game at two just under two minutes into third period when he buried a rebound at the side of the net.
Jordan Karafile scored the go-ahead goal for the Jr. Canadiens just over eight minutes into third. Catalano and Van Waterschoot both added their second goals of the night with the Cougars net empty in favour of an extra attacker.
Goaltender Justin Easter had another strong performance in net for the Cougars, making 31 saves in a losing cause.
Cobourg’s depth was again on full display and Reist’s goal was a prime example of the players being relentless in their efforts to find a way to tie and also try and win the game.
“Andy Reist is really showing everybody what he’s capable of this playoff,” Wolfe said. “He’s scored a lot of goals for us in big moments. It’s a testament to…the strength of this team is the depth of it and the ability to stick with it.
“I have no doubt in my mind that they guys have the resolve to get this done, but we just need to focus on one thing at a time and hopefully things start to turn our way.”
If necessary, Game 4 will be at the CCC on Friday night with the fifth-and-deciding contest Sunday in Toronto.
