Spor Just Down the Hill: Affordable Hockey Close to Home

Clark Grieve Contributor

or so many of us living in Canada, October means just one thing: the return of the NHL (in this case, a lockout-free NHL that sees the realignment of its divisions and conferences). After living in Vancouver for a few years during my education, | enjoyed having such a high caliber team right at my disposal, and it was a great incentive going to school at UBC. | could always look forward to weekend matchups, and watching games with friends became something of a ritual from the start of the season through to the playoff runs (and the inevitable tears of defeat).

Although | would say the Vancouver Canucks are definitely an organization that extends its support to the entire Northwest, there is no experience equal to seeing your team live,

in person and with 18,000 other

screaming fans.

It is one thing I've really missed during my time at UNBC in Prince George, though the tears of defeat are certainly a constant. | am contributing this week

to admit that, unlike past years, | have yet to watch a single Canucks game. No, it is not because | am tired of

the Stanley Cup drought. Instead, this season | have invested my free time and money closer to home, watching the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.

Having seen NHL quality play in person before, | do have a high standard of what | will and will not watch when it comes to hockey. However, with news late in the pre- season that team Captain Troy Bourke (Drafted by Colorado Avalanche, Round Three 73rd overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft) and talented winger Zach Pochiro (Drafted by the St. Louis Blues, Round Four 12th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft) were back from NEL training camps and part of the 2013/14 roster | saw an opportunity to watch just a few of the stars soon destined for the NHL and a deep talent pool that the Cougars have developed over a few tough and disappointing seasons. Even though the Cougars have not had recent success in the Western Hockey League, they stil

Go Timberwolves Go!

Adam Vickers Sports Editor

he 2013/2014 Timberwolves basketball season is about to begin and there are a couple of new changes. This year features an opportunity for new talent to step up and work their way into the line-up. Last year, UNBC saw five players (mostly from the men’s team) graduate from the Timberwolves basketball roster.

The men’s team, atter losing 80% of their roster last year, is looking to fill some spots. One veteran aiming for

a spot is Jeff Chu, a transfer from

the Langara Falcons. Chu was part

of the Falcons team that recently

won 2012-2013 Pac West Provincial Championship, and had a ‘player of the week’ distinction in the 2012-2013 season. Head Coach Todd Jordan hopes that Chu can bring leadership and maturity to a team that will feature a fresh crop of young talent attempting

to fill the void of a rebuilding team.

Two international transfer students trying fo join the Timberwolves are Franck Oliver Kouagnia and Jibreel Stevens. Kouagnia is a 67 power forward who hopes to bring a strong physical presence to the Timberwolves team. Stevens is a 5'7 point guard who hopes to bring his soeed and athleticism to the team, giving the Timberwolves someone who can see the court and make quick decisions under pressure.

On the women's side, the team features the addition of new

coach, Sergey Shchepotkin, who is replacing current Athletic Director Loralyn Murdoch, who started the women’s basketball program in 1997. Shchepotkin has coached women’s professional teams in Russia, and club teams in Lebanon, which include four WNBA players, 24 national team players (Russia, Lebanon, Croatia, and Australia), eight European Champions,

give many people the opportunity to see future NHL talent. The most recent top draft being Brett Connelly, who

was pick 6th overall by Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 drat.

First of all, | was surprised to discover that, with my UNBC Student Card, | qualify for a reduced ticket price at the box office. And with the games now serving alcohol in the stands, this means | can get info the game and have a beer during the first period

for under $20. Although it may not equal watching the Sedins and Roberto Luongo, a Cougars game definitely fits into my limited budget at that price, and has surprisingly grown on me.

Although CN Centre may not have the unmatched amenities of Rogers Arena or the aura of Maple Leaf Gardens, it does feature better views and seating than you will be used to. With regard to the atmosphere, the faithful crowd may start out as quiet and anxious during stretches of close play at the opening minutes of a period, but they quickly come to life, as they did for the game | attended on 1] October.

two Asian Club Champions, and one bronze medalist from the Olympic Games in Beijing. The majority of the team is returning from previous years, but there is a group of rookies looking to impress the new coach.

The men and women’s basketball teams are both poised to make an impact this year, and will need the support of everyone if they hope to do so. Come out and support the home

Finally, the proximity to UNBC, and with buses running late on Friday evenings now make attending games easier than heading fo the Prince George Coliseum for a Spruce Kings game. Games which start around 7-OO0PM and end by 9:30PM leave enough room between the end of class and the puck drop to relax, but there's also time atter the game to head downtown too.

| cannot recommend the product the Cougars are putting on the ice enough. There are sure to be a lot of goals, hits, saves, and close games throughout the 72-game season, and that is something you cannot beat unless you drive ten hours to Vancouver. Cougar games also broadcast on the radio (both home and away) for those who cannot make it out of the library in time, which is how | kept up to date during my mid-term week. For more information, check out the Cougars website (www. pgcougars.com), and | recommend visiting the official team Twitter account (@PGCougars) for updates, contests, and prizes.

unbc.ca

team as the Timberwolves enter their second season as a member of CIS (Canadian Intervarsity Sports). The Timberwolves start the season against Manitoba and Winnipeg on the road from 1-2 November, and then head back home for the season opener on 8 and 9 November against Thompson Rivers University. Admission is only $4 for students senior and alumni, $8 for adults, and free for children under the age of 6.