BENSENVILLE, Ill.- In a divisional clash, the Chicago Cougars Premier squad dominated the Decatur Blaze with a convincing 10-2 victory. From the outset, the Cougars asserted their offensive prowess, leaving the Blaze struggling to keep pace.
The first period set the tone, with the Cougars establishing a commanding 4-0 lead. Kristian Boweak, Coler Crozier, Nikolay Ouriashev, and Gerdas Paulauskas all found the back of the net.
The second period witnessed the Cougars extending their lead to 9-1. Kevin Hanly, Alexander Musyakevych, TJ Haas (twice), and Frank Kula added to the scoring. The Blaze managed to break the shutout with a power-play goal from Everett King.
In the third period, while the Blaze found the net again with a goal from Brandon Consolo, the Cougars sealed the deal with Nikolay Ouriashev notching his second of the night. The game ended 1-1 in the final period.
Notable performances included a hat-trick and two assists from TJ Haas, and two goals each from Nikolay Ouriashev and Frank Kula. Connor Schuckmann and Aidan Canady tallied three assists each.
The game featured a physical matchup, resulting in 30 penalties totaling 87 minutes. The goaltender showdown saw Sam Burcal of the Cougars making 26 saves on 28 shots, while Decatur Blaze goaltenders Wyatt Gottschall and Rigel Goodrich collectively made 41 saves on 51 shots.
With this win, the Chicago Cougars improved their season record to 9-10-1-2, while the Decatur Blaze fell to 5-18-1-0. The victory positions the Cougars for a potential playoff spot, while the Blaze regroups for the remainder of the season. The intense rivalry promises exciting matchups in future meetings.
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