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Victoria Cougars go for seven straight wins

The Victoria Cougars (16-4-1-0) will host the Kerry Park Islanders (10-11-1-0) for the second time in a week this Thursday.

The Victoria Cougars (16-4-1-0) will host the Kerry Park Islanders (10-11-1-0) for the second time in a week this Thursday.

The Cougars have not played since they blanked the Islanders 8-0 on Nov. 12.  The shutout was the seventh of the season for the Cougars  —three of those goose eggs have come at the expense of Kerry Park.

The season series has been somewhat of a mismatch.

Victoria has had its ways with the Islanders this season winning by scores of 6-3, 5-0, 5-0 and 8-0. Kerry Park has not scored against the Cougars in 206 minutes and seven seconds when Ryan Paisley netted one the 13:52 mark of the second period during the first meeting back on Sept. 10.

Gregory Maggio stopped all 18 shots the last time these two teams met for his second shutout of the season. Anthony Ciurro and Sean Wendlandt, who was released after suffering a long-term injury back in September, have also recorded shutouts against the Islanders.

Kameron Fink and Nathan Looysen scored twice in the 8-0 win while singles went to Dom Kolbeins, Cody Hodges, Ryan Vorster, and Nico Somerville.

Hodges’ marker gives him 10 goals in his last six games.  Kolbeins extended his point streak to 19 games. Looysen continues to lead the VIJHL in scoring with 51 points after adding two more assists to his already two goals.

The trio of Hodges, Kolbeins, and Looysen hold the hot hand versus the Islanders.  Hodges has four goals and six assists, Kolbeins has three goals and seven assists, and Looysen has two goals and seven assists in the season series.

Between the pipes, Ciurro and Maggio sit 1-2 in the VIJHL.  Ciurro, who leads the league with four shutouts, is 10-2-1-0 and has compiled a 1.64 goals against average and .935 save percentage. Maggio has been equally as good, posting a 4-1-0-0 record, a 1.61 G.A.A., and .932 S.P.

Injuries continue to plague the team. Still sidelined are John Kretzschmar, Kurtis Gamble, Liam Kinshella, Taylor Leger and Austin Wilk.

Game time at the Archie Browning Sports Centre is 7 p.m.

On Nov. 21, the Cougars will also be hosting their annual pub night and silent auction, which begins at 7 p.m. in the Crow’s Nest of the sports centre.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at this Thursday night’s game. All proceeds go to support the Victoria Cougars Junior Hockey Club.