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Itıs not that easy being green. Ask the Cougars Hockey team. The Cougars, who have yet to win a road game during the regular season, lost two more on the road including a 4-3 loss last Friday and a 4-1 loss on Saturday to the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns. The Cougars have yet to manage even a single point wearing their green road jerseys after nine road games. But despite being seven points down to the U of Brandon Bobcats for the final playoff spot with only ten games to go, coach Bill Liskowich isnıt quite ready to throw in the towel on the season yet. ³We donıt want to rule out anything,² stated Liskowich. ³Weıre not giving up.² The Pronghorns, who were the Cougars immediate concern last weekend, came | from behind to squeak out Fridayıs victory. ³I thought our guys played well,² mused Liskowich. ³It was a team loss. Thatıs the way it goes.² ³Friday we came out strong,² said Darren Martens, Cougars forward and leading scorer. ³They got back into it and we couldnıt regain the lead.² ³The reason why weıre not getting the bounces is not because weıre a young club,² added Liskowich. ³You have to make your own bounces, and obviously, weıre not making enough of them.² The specialty teams, normally the bread and butter of the Cougars, turned to jelly on Saturday. ³We didnıt get anything. We had lots of opportunities on the power play to put the | puck away, and we just couldnıt do it,² said Liskowich. ³The first power play goal [for Lethbridge] was a really lucky goal,² lamented Martens. ³I think it bounced off about three pairs of skates. ³They had the bounces and we didnıt.² The team can no longer afford to have off games, or bounceless games, if it wants to have any sniff of the playoffs. ³Every weekend is tougher,² said Liskowich. ³I think the pride aspect of this team will kick in. It has been there, but if we get to the stage where we canıt make the playoffs, that will come into focus.² The Cougars got more bad news over the weekend as Darren Houghton reinjured his knee. |