The Prince George Cougars are still looking to get to that next level as they dropped a 6-3 decision against the Portland Winterhawks to fall behind in the opening round series 2-1.
“We want to make sure it’s a long playoff series, and I think you have to learn something from each and every game,” said Cougars Associate Coach Jim Playfair on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“When you start the game from behind like we have three games in a row, you spend so much energy trying to recapture, or at least tie it up or try to capture the lead that you play with a lot more anxiety than you need to, and I think it’s just a poor habit to get into.”
Playfair said there’s another gear the team needs to get to.
“I think our group right now, doesn’t understand there’s another they have to get to, there’s another level they have to get to of discipline, there’s another level of making simple plays,” he said.
“I think we’re stubborn in our mindset, we’re turning too many pucks over and it’s just a matter of feeling like you’re playing behind and then you start to feel like you’re playing too slow, and then what happens is turned over pucks become time spent in our own zone.”
“We don’t have another month coming up of hockey where we can correct this stuff,” Playfair added.
“We had a meeting this morning and I told the guys, when we’re talking about this, this isn’t personal, this isn’t like we’ve got a timeline of four or five games to get people’s games in order, it’s a shift-to-shift basis. I think our mindset has to come in tomorrow the shift you’re playing’s the most important shift of our win tonight and, we get that mindset going, and if we do, we’re going to be fine.”
It was another busy night in net for Josh Ravensbergen, as he faced 45 shots.
“I think that you go back to when he first came in the league, he had a carefree attitude and he had success with that carefree attitude,” Playfair said.
“Now he’s getting lots of noise and chatter about the NHL draft and I think somehow that’s become a bit of confusion in his head as how do I have to play to get drafted, he doesn’t have to worry about that, he’s just got to worry about getting rest tonight and coming back and having that carefree attitude that makes him such a good goaltender.”
The Cougars failed to score on three powerplay attempts, while Portland struck twice with the man advantage.
The Winterhawks jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first ten minutes, both coming off the stick of Alex Weiermair.
Bauer Dumanski answered, taking a Riley Heidt feed and firing the shot past Ondrej Štěbeták.
Dumanksi gets us within one with his second of the playoffs!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/2vT6p9qUnz pic.twitter.com/RWLb60Wj3s
— x – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 2, 2025
The second period concluded with the all-too familiar score in this series of 5-2, with Tyson Jugnauth scoring once and Carter Sotheran finding the back of the net twice for Portland, while Jett Lajoie scored his first of the playoffs for Prince George.
Dumanksi gets us within one with his second of the playoffs!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/2vT6p9qUnz pic.twitter.com/RWLb60Wj3s
— x – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 2, 2025
In the final frame, Lee Shurgot injected some hope into the hearts of Cougars fans, cutting the lead back to two on a rebound from a Heidt shot.
Lee Shugot has his first career playoff goal at exactly the right time!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/Df42kddbUK pic.twitter.com/cNRXYBsOfA
— x – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) April 2, 2025
With a Cougar in the box serving a five-minute major Heidt was given for cross-checking to go along with a game misconduct, Weiermair scored his third of the night to send the 3,808 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum home with a smile.
The box score is here.
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