The Cariboo Cougars would like to congratulate Tyler Povelofskie in his commitment to the Vernon Vipers for the 2013/2014 season.

Here is the release from Vernon:

The Vernon Vipers hockey club is pleased to announce that they have received two commitments for the 2013/2014 season.  Mark Hamilton and Tyler Povelofskie have both decided to come to Vernon and help in our efforts of winning the RBC on home ice.
 
Mark Hamilton, who hails from Winthrop Massachusetts, is a 6’3” 225 lb defenseman. Hamilton is committed to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst following his year in Vernon. He has had a very successful season, winning both a U18 National Championship and captaining Salisbury to a New England Prep School championship. Mark is a physical Dman who has an offensive upside. “I had the chance to watch Mark play at Nationals in Pittsburgh and I am very excited to have him as a part of our team. He will add a physical presence to our blue-line and has the ability to chip in offensively” says Head Coach Jason Williamson.
 
Tyler Povelofskie played last season for the Prince George Cougars of the BC Major Midget League. In 36 games he had 18 goals and 14 assists to go along with 87 penalty minutes. “Tyler is a player that plays in all 3 zones and competes very hard. He also has tremendous character and will fit very well into our dressing room” adds Coach Williamson.
 
The Vernon Vipers would like to welcome both players to the team and look forward to seeing them in action next season!

"He's a very coachable player, a guy you really want to have on your team" said Cougars Head Coach Trevor Sprague. "We're really happy that he's going to Vernon, and will get an opportunity to play in a National Championship this season."

Vernon are hosting the Royal Bank Cup at the end of the season.

The Cariboo Cougars would like to announce that the team and broadcaster Jeff Sargeant have parted ways.

Jeff has been an integral part of this team for the past two seasons, coming on board initially in a Broadcasting and Media Relations role with the team, but expanding to Team Manager for the start of the 2012/2013 season.

"We are a Northern BC team, not just a Prince George team...Jeff emphasized that in his work" according to Cougars Head Coach Trevor Sprague. "He connected the team with a lot of media outlets in places like Dawson Creek, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House and others, to let them know how their home town players were doing."

Brett Cullen, who served as the team's photographer last season will take over the social media and media relations aspects of Jeff's role with the team, and the search is on for a new broadcaster in time for the 2013/2014 season. "We want to thank Jeff for all the work he has put into this organization over the last couple of years. He has a great relationship with the players, and ensured the team's broadcast and relationships with the media were the best in the league" said Sprague. "I'm happy to see Brett take on a bigger role with the team for the next season."

The Cougars, who were eliminated from the BC Major Midget League playoffs by the Okanagan Rockets are beginning early preparations for their first camp in August, before main camp in September. The team would also like to extend its congratulations to the Vancouver North West Giants for their BC Major Midget League title, and wish the Red Deer Chiefs all the best as the Pacific representatives in the Telus Cup.

The Cariboo Cougars season ended in heartbreaking fashion Saturday with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Okanagan Rockets who swept the BC Major Midget best-of-three semi-final series to advance to the championship.

The loss ends the Cougars streak of final appearances at three, the first time the Cats have not advanced beyond the semi-finals since 2008-09.

Tyler Povelofskie scored his first of the post-season midway through the first to give the Cougars their first lead of the series, but it was shortlived as less than four minutes later Justin Marreck banked a shot off Stephen Penner's skate and into the open Cougar net. 

The close-knit affair remained tied at one until the 12:46 mark of the third when Brett Mennear gave the Rockets their first lead of the game.  But just 26 seconds later, Liam Blackburn made a nice play to put the puck on his forehand before snapping it past Rocket goaltender Brenden Mills to tie the game at two.

Still tied after 60 minutes, the Cougars entered their first overtime game of the playoffs where Spencer Hewson got the series winning goal at the 6:04 mark.

The Rockets advance to their first championship series since 2007-08 when they were swept by the Cougars.  The game was the last in major midget for several Cariboo Cougars including captain Ryan Forbes, assistant captains Eli Jarvis and Stephen Penner, as well as goaltender Nathan Warren and forwards Kirk Hards, Tre Potskin, and defenceman Nick Headrick.

Two goals against in the opening four minutes had the Cariboo Cougars playing catchup the entire game as the Okanagan Rockets held on for a 4-3 win to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three BC Major Midget League semi-final.

The Rockets opened scoring just 2:51 into the opening period as Graham Millar put a rebound past Nathan Warren.  Then just over a minute later Josh Blanchard made it a 2-0 Okanagan lead.  The quick start for the visitors seemed to wake up the Cougars who then dominated play for the remainder of the period yet remained in a two goal deficit despite outshooting the Rockets 12-9 through 20 minutes.

The second period was a complete reversal as Braiden Epp got the Cougars on the board 2:47 into the frame while Logan Styler got the equalizer just 29 seconds later from Liam Blackburn and Stephen Penner. 

The Rockets re-took the lead early in the third before Blackburn slid one five-hole past Rockets goaltender Brenden Mills to tie the game at three.  But with just under five minutes on the clock Spencer Hewson was credited with the eventual game winner which went into the Cougar net on a strange bounce.

The Cougars finished the game 0/3 on the power play while killing off all four penalties.  Nathan Warren took his first playoff loss in net.

The Cougars face their first do-or-die scenario of the post-season heading into game 2 Saturday at 1 o'clock at CN Centre.