Giants a Win Away/Turris Makes History

You have to hand it to the Vancouver Giants for keeping the Prince George Cougars top players at bay in the Western Conference semi final.

Devin Setoguchi and Nick Drazenovic were deadly in the Everett series, but have been basically nullified in the West final.
Setoguchi had 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points against the Tips and was a +5. Against the Giants in the first three games he has just 2 assists and is a minus 4. Drazenovic had 7 goals and 4 assists against the Tips in round two and has just 2 assists and is a -1 in this series.
The old adage of your best players have to be your best players is likely ringing in the ears of every Cougars fan heading into game 4 tonight at the CN Centre.

Trailing 3 games to none, who do you start in goal in game 4?
As the Shania Twain song goes - Dance with the One that Brought You - the Cougars should go with Real Cyr in a crucial game four.
It was Cyr that played a huge part in helping the Coug's get past Kamloops and Everett in rounds one and two, and it will be Cyr not Bowles who will be back with the team next season.

Do I like the Cougars chances of getting back in the series?
Nope!
But I know one thing. The Cougars won't go down without a fight.
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NHL Central Scouting released it's final list of North American born players for the upcoming draft.
For the first time ever a Tier II player is rated #1.

Kyle Turris, who played in the B.C Hockey League with Burnaby this season is rated as the top North American prospect. Turris scored 66 goals this year.

Turris was rated #5 at the mid term rankings.

It's the first time a player from Tier II has been ranked #1 in Central Scouting's 31 year history. Angelo Esposito was rated #1 at the mid term rankings but has fallen to 8th.
Turris has committed to play at the University of Wisconsin next season.
The top WHL player for June's draft in Columbus in Kamloops d-man Keaton Ellerby, who moves from 6th to 4th.
Calgary Hitmen's Karl Alzner is rated 8th while Zach Hamill of Everett is 9th.
The Cougars Dana Tyrell caught the eye of scouts in the second half moving from 42nd to
15th.
The top W.H.L goaltender is Regina's Linden Rowat who had a strong playoff and moved from 6th to 4th among North American goaltenders.
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Ok Cougars fans you can use one of many sports cliches considering your team is down 3 games to none. Take your pick.

1) It's do or die.

2) They're behind the eight ball.

3) They're in a must-win situation.

4) They need a win to stave off elimination.

5) There's no tomorrow.

6) If you lose, you go home.

7) They’re down but not out.

8) They've got their backs against the wall.

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The Humboldt Broncos beat the Selkirk Steelers 6-3 Tuesday night and now have a 2-1 lead in the Anavet Cup final. Former Rockets forward Brent Howarth had an assist in the game for the Steelers in a losing cause.
Oddly enough games four and five are in Humboldt before the series shifts back to Selkirk for potentially a game 6 and 7.
Bottom line - the Steelers need to win one game in Saskatchewan or Brent Howarth's dream of playing at the Royal Bank Cup will be over.
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Travis Moen and the Anahiem Mighty Ducks face the Vancouver Canucks tonight in the second round of the NHL playoffs.

The former Rocket will be playing in his 15th career playoff game tonight. Moen averaged about 16 minutes of ice time in a first round series with Minnesota.
Moen just celebrated a birthday on April 6th, and is the son-in-law to Rockets Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey.
It should be pretty obvious who Frey is cheering for in this series.
I wouldn't be surprised if Lorne is down in California for a game or two. He'll likely be there unless Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton has tight reins on him wanting Frey to scout until the very last minute considering the WHL bantam draft is just a stone throw away.

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If you missed it the Canucks have recalled former Kelowna Rockets defenceman Alexander Edler from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.
Edler, 21, has played in 22 regular season games with the Canucks this season, recording three points (1-2-3) and six penalty minutes.
The 6-3, 220-pound. native of Ostersund, Sweden was selected by Vancouver 91st overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.