McCutcheon magnificent as Bisons maim Cougars
Herd advances to division final with 2-1 series victory
Vuthana Suon Staff
After suffering a humbling 4-3 loss in the first game of their best-of-three playoff series against the Regina Cougars, the Bison men’s hockey team responded by playing some of their best hockey to date, capping it off in a physical 6-2 rout on Sunday, February 26 at the Max Bell Arena.
Taking advantage of the rust that gathered on the Bisons after their bye-week, the Cougars pounced on the Bisons early in the first game of the series. They were able to strike first in game one before a shorthanded goal by third-year forward Warren McCutcheon, who recorded seven points in the series, tied it up for the herd. The game went into overtime, before Regina’s Chad Anderson scored the game-winner to give his team a 4-3 win.
The OT loss lit a fire under the Bisons’ bellies, as they came out determined to even up the series in game two.
Keyed by a suffocating defence, which allowed Regina only 14 shots on goal, and defenceman Jamie Dowhayko’s two goals and two assists, the herd dominated in a 7-1 victory.
“I thought that we played our best game of the season in the [second] game,” said Bison head coach Mike Sirant. “We played like we were desperate.”
This set the stage for a final showdown between the prairie rivals, as tensions escalated with the realization that the loser would be done for the season.
McCutcheon opened the scoring mere seconds into the Bisons’ first powerplay. Linemate Kevin Saurette would add two quick goals in the second period to put the Bisons up 3-0 by the end of the second period.
However, as the game wore on, the level of physical play also increased.
“[Regina] was trying to put a checking line against our top line of Saurette, McCutcheon and Deniset,” said Sirant. “Their gameplan was to try to hook, hold and grab to get them off their game.”
It was no surpise then, that with a hit from behind on McCutcheon as the catalyst, fighting erupted between the teams in the third period. The reward for all this was the ejection of 10 players, five from each team. In total, 35 penalties were called in the period alone, and 54 penalties were called for the game.
“Things just got ugly out there, and I think that Regina is guilty of taking some cheap shots out there,” said Sirant. “But I liked the fact that our players stuck together out there when situations like that happen.”
With the game all but over, and Manitoba leading 6-0, Regina added two goals to deny Bison goaltender Krister Toews the shutout.
In coming back from the OT loss, the Bisons were able to shake off their rust and play tough, physical hockey to keep their postseason hopes alive.
“We knew that our backs were against the wall and we just wanted to play every shift like it was our last,” said McCutcheon.
The Bisons will face the nationally third-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies for a three-game divisional final series in Saskatoon on Mar. 3-5.
