By Peter Watts /

There is no more competitive level of hockey than the Canada West university conference.

It’s full of Western Hockey League alumni in established programs with long traditions of excellence, especially in Edmonton and in Saskatoon.

Which is what makes the Regina Cougars an interesting story at the onset of a new season.

Fifth-year coach Blaine Sautner has established a competitive program and is looking to build upon the success of last season from the very first game of this season.

“Last season was the first season in which we won a playoff round,” he said following a recent tournament in Edmonton. “We beat Lethbridge in the first round and then went to a third game against the Golden Bears in the second round in Edmonton.

“We went back to Edmonton for their tournament Sept. 18 and 19 because I wanted our players to understand that the way we finished last season is the way we have to start, this season. And then we have to get better from there.”

There are reasons to believe that the Cougars can do just that. Good recruiting this summer brought in four good forwards.

Carter Smith was a 20-goal scorer last year for the Red Deer Rebels. Craig Cuthbert, who played for the Kootenay Ice and then last season for Bonneville in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, has been a pleasant surprise throughout training camp.

Bryan Kauk, who played in Medicine Hat, Kamloops, and Brandon in the Dub before ending his junior career with Dauphin in the Manitoba Junior League, is a slick passer who may be the perfect complement to third-year scorer Dillon Johnson.

And Partik Bhungal, who spent three seasons in Chilliwack, is a big, strong power forward with a penchant for killing penalties – when he’s not serving time for being the Cougars’ policeman.

“I think we’re building a good program here,” Sautner said. “I think it’s a good sign when some of our current players like Dylan Chapman and Dylan Johnstone go to a potential player like Bhungal, with whom they played in Chilliwack, and convince him to come and be a Cougar.

“I think good players are starting to look at our program as a strong option for them if they’re looking to move on with their education. And next season we’re moving into the new 1,500-seat arena, which is part of the Co-Operatives multi rink complex being built on the agribition grounds.

“That’s going to make our program a little more attractive to potential players.”

The additions at forward complement the return of both goaltenders — Brant Hilton, who played for Canada at the World University Games in Harbin, China last February, and Adam Ward, who took over the Cougars No. 1 job during the playoffs and led the team past Lethbridge and into the semi-final against Alberta.

Five of six defensemen from last year’s squad, are back this fall.

The pre-season began with a loss to Manitoba and an overtime win over Saskatchewan. Losses to Alberta and to Lethbridge in the Edmonton tournament were disappointing, but taken with a grain of salt.

“We were trailing Alberta 3-1 with 10 minutes to play and lost 5-1,” Sautner said. “Against Lethbridge, we blew a 3-1 lead and lost 4-3. But we’re still installing our systems and we’re not yet where we need to be in terms of team play.

“Still, it was a reminder to our players of what this conference is going to be like and again, how we need to get to the level we showed last spring, so that we can get better from that point.”