Kootenay eager to bounce back in home games against Cougars
By Bruce Fuhr
The inability to score goals continues to haunt the Kootenay Wildcats.
The Cats dropped a pair of games, albeit to the front-runners of the B.C. Female Midget AA League, Fraser Valley Phantom last weekend at the Langley Events Centre in the Fraser Valley.
Kootenay lost 3-0 and 2-0 to fall to 6-10-2 on the season.
“A coach doesn’t want to labour over a lack of scoring but we have an issue with that,” said Kootenay head coach Cary Fisher prior to last weekend’s series against Fraser Valley Phantom.
“The good news is we are getting scoring from a variety of players at the right time to win games.”
Despite the two setbacks, Kootenay remains out of second place in league standings behind Thompson-Okanagan Rockets.
Kootenay hosts the Prince George Cougars in a pair of weekend games in Nelson, beginning Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the Civic Centre Arena.
“Both (Lauren Biggs of Salmo and Mogan Flynn of Castlegar) played well leading up to the break and our team defense is very good largely riding good goal tending,” Fisher said taking an optimistic look at the second half of the season.
“We have the second fewest goals against average in the league.”
Fisher said that defence was bolstered during the weekend with the return of Golden’s Danica Dahlin back from a knee injury.
Dahlin will be a deference maker once she is back in shape and able to play to her standard.
Last weekend the coaching staffl monitored Dahlin’s minutes to ensure she eases into game shape.
To get the Kootenay offence going, Fisher is looking for speedy winger Jesse Cooper (Nelson) and hard working winger Jenna Wheeldon (Nelson) to be more consistent with their new centre Kimberley Huisman.
“This is a highly skilled first-year line that needs to contribute,” Fisher said.
“They all bring grit and competiveness but with any first year player they need to find their way in the league. Stay tuned for big things from them.”
The Cats play the second game against Prince George Sunday at 8:45 a.m. in the NDCC Arena.
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