Connect with us
Dacotah Bank

Boys' Hockey

Cougars gearing up for Boys’ State Hockey Tournament

Aberdeen Cougars head coach Jeremey Backous, second from the right, watches the action from the bench with his team during a game earlier this season against Watertown at the Odde Ice Center. The Cougars face Brookings at 12:30 p.m. Friday in the opening round of the state tournament in Brookings. Photo by John Davis taken 2/17/2023

The Aberdeen Cougars are back in the state hockey tournament for the second year in a row. The seventh-seeded Cougar boys are set to play the Brookings Rangers on Friday at 11:30 a.m. in Brookings.

Cougars coach Jeremey Backous knows his team is excited to compete in the tournament.

“(For) a lot of these kids, this is gonna be their first time getting to play in a varsity state tournament,” Backous said. “Especially opening up against Brookings, and they are hosting the tournament, I think it will be a lot of fun for them just to have that atmosphere.”

Backous also said it will be a bit of a learning experience for his team due to how young it is.

“Everything will be different for them,” Backous said. “We’re pretty young, so it will be good for them to get their first taste of it.”

The Cougars are facing a Brookings team that has been a stalwart all season. The second-seeded Rangers have been a strong defensive team and Backous knows his team has its work cut out for them.

“They are just really good. That’s the only way to put it,” Backous said. “They move the puck really well, they’re clean, (and) they defend exceptionally well.”

Backous said his team managed just one goal and around 10-12 shots per game when the teams met twice during the regular season, something he hopes his team can improve on this time around.

“We have to maximize every opportunity, and we have to shoot the puck whenever we can,” Backous said. “They’re too good as far as their skill level goes for us to think we’re gonna have time to make plays. We’re not gonna be able to hold the puck and expect to be successful.”

Backous noted that Brookings, along with Sioux Falls 1, will be the top teams to watch at the state tournament. He stressed that both teams are very skilled, move the puck well, and have solid goaltending.

Although the odds may be stacked against them, Backous believes his team can have success this weekend.

“Honestly, I think if we can play to our potential, I think we have a real good possibility of winning two games at the state tournament,” Backous said. “It’s a three-game tournament and anything can happen.”

Overall, Backous wants his team to play its best hockey on the biggest stage.

“We just have to play our game,” Backous said. “We have to go out and work hard, and we have to compete for three full periods in every game, and if we can do that, there’s no telling what the outcome might be.”

Purchase a Photo

Browse By Category

Browse By Month

More in Boys' Hockey