They are done with junior hockey, their last game over. And they have to be leaving with at least some sense of regret.
The 20-year-old players on the Prince George Cougars suited up for what turned into their last Western Hockey League game Wednesday night at CN Centre, a 3-2 loss that completed an expected first-round sweep by the Vancouver Giants a team that finished with 66 more points than the Cougars in the regular season.
Cameron Cepek, the Prince George captain, goaltender Kevin Armstrong, and Brian Matte are left with memories. One of those is that this team put more than a few moments of fright into the top seed in the Western Conference but the Cougars were capable of much more if the effort and heart shown in Games 3 and 4 had been on display in Vancouver for the first two games.
There's nothing to say the Cougars would've won a game, let alone the series, but the showing in the last two outings at least gave hope that an underdog win was possible.
"I was proud of how the guys battled here at home. It was a challenge on the road all year for us for whatever reason," said Cougars head coach Wade Klippenstein.
"Vancouver is better at home, they're deep, and their top line didn't do as much against as I thought they would but their secondary guys killed us. Our guys competed, everyone knows it was quite a mismatch but you wouldn't know it from watching these last two hockey games."
The upset didn't happen, and the Cougars are now into a long off-season that will bring a new head coach and, once again, speculation about the long-term future of the franchise following another winter of declining attendance. Owner Rick Brodsky, who was in the building for both home games, has said the team will be here next season but has refused to put that stamp on anything beyond that.
The Cougars got the lead Wednesday, and it was the product of an impressive showing of skill and determination to get to the net. Rookie Greg Fraser, the last bantam pick in his draft year, was sent in alone by Justin Maylan and made a great move on Vancouver's Tyson Sexsmith, who will likely see NHL time somewhere in his future.
Lance Bouma, the Giants' agitator, evened the game by going five-hole on Armstrong, but the Cougars jumped into another lead on a tip by Marek Viedensky, the shot from the point fired by the stick of Cody Hobbs.
It would be the last lead the Cougars would hold.
Jonathan Blum, Vancouver's captain, snapped a point shot on a Giants power play that Armstrong would like to have back. The puck floated past his glove, tying the game 2-2.
Bouma celebrated his 19th birthday by scoring his second of the night, and Vancouver's second on the power play, to provide the winning marker.
A main reason the Cougars did not pull off at least one, and maybe two, wins in this series was the power play. Trailing 3-2 in the second period, they were given 1:35 of two-man advantage time and failed to convert.
In Tuesday's overtime loss, the Cougars were stuffed on two power plays in the fourth period, leaving the door open for the Giants. In today's WHL, special teams play can win games, lead to championships, and provide the edge in playoff series.
In the second period Wednesday, the Cougars were on the power play for 6:39, but it was the Giants who won the period 1-0. When the game was over, Vancouver was 2-6 on the power play and Prince George was 0-5.
"Special teams were good for us," said Giants coach Don Hay, "and I thought we did a good job killing penalties. That five-on-three was key, killing that was important, and coming back and scoring on our chances was big for us as well."
Klippenstein pointed immediately to special teams as the major difference.
"That five-on-three in the second period... not getting anything there was a blow to us and as bad as our power play was, their penalty killing was pretty good," said Klippenstein, who took over as head coach on Dec. 1 when Drew Schoneck was fired.
Klippenstein's future is likely in a lead scouting role as the search for a head coach appears ready to kick into high gear.
"Tonight is not about me or my situation, it's about the kids," Klippenstein added outside the dressing room, his eyes red from the emotion of watching a number of players complete their WHL careers.
"It's tough on our 20-year-olds. I've been the coach of a lot of different teams, and you see how tough it is on them... it's tough."
Hay definitely noted a difference in the compete level of the Cougars on home ice, compared to the laughers at the Pacific Coliseum.
"They were much more competitive here, and scoring the first goal in both games really helped them," said the former NHL coach, a 400-game winner in the WHL with three Memorial Cup rings as a head man.
"They play hard. I thought our guys played hard as well, but both games here were very good, hard, playoff games."
Armstrong finished with 45 saves, while Sexsmith faced 28 shots.