FRASER, Mi.- The Chicago Cougars Elite showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately couldn't maintain their early momentum during a three-game road swing in Fraser, Michigan this week, bookending an explosive series-opening victory with two tough losses against the Motor City Gamblers.
Tuesday's opener demonstrated the Cougars' offensive ceiling in spectacular fashion. Andy Gonzalez set the tone early, muscling home the game's first goal, and would later seal the 7-4 victory with an empty-netter.
The scoring parade featured standout performances from Paulius Uzusienis, Cameron Twadell, and Caleb Schulz, while Caleb Lind notched the eventual game-winner midway through the third. Andrew DiSilvestro continued his strong season between the pipes, turning away 44 shots to secure the win despite a hefty shot disadvantage.
The Cougars looked poised to carry that momentum into Wednesday's contest when Jakub Potoczny connected with Lind early in the second period to stake Chicago to a 1-0 lead. However, the offensive well ran dry after Motor City answered with a shorthanded tally just minutes later. Despite outshooting the Gamblers 12-5 in a desperate third period push, the Cougars couldn't find the equalizer in the 2-1 setback.
Halloween proved even more frustrating for Chicago's usually potent offense. DiSilvestro gave his team every chance with another outstanding performance, stopping 45 of 48 shots, but the Cougars' scoring touch disappeared completely in a 3-0 shutout loss. The team's top producers, including Lind and Jeffrey Schroeder, generated chances but couldn't solve Motor City netminder Jack Stawick. Penalty troubles, including a pair of infractions from Gianni Annicchiarico, further complicated the comeback effort.
The series puts Chicago at 7-5 on the season, a record that doesn't quite reflect the offensive firepower this squad has shown it can produce. After putting up seven goals in Tuesday's opener, the Cougars' scoring drought in the final two games raises questions they'll need to address as they return home. However, with proven scorers like Gonzalez, Lind, and Schulz leading the attack, and DiSilvestro's consistently strong presence in net, the pieces remain in place for Chicago to bounce back quickly from this tough road trip.
The Cougars will look to regroup and rediscover their scoring touch while they remain on the road and face the Motor City Gamblers again on neutral ice in Fort Wayne, Indiana Friday November 8th.
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