For the Prince George Cougars to win this season, more often than not, they need their goalie to be a game star.
With that in mind, it is no surprise that the Cougars have won two straight games, and in each their stopper has been first star.
Taylor Gauthier, on a mission after surprisingly being bypassed in the NHL Draft, was at his best in a Prince George 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs.
The 18-year-old from Calgary made 44 saves and did not allow a goal in the third period when his team was outshot 18-2.
In the Cats previous game (October 5th), a 4-1 triumph over the Kelowna Rockets, rookie Tyler Brennan took first star honors blocking 26 of 27 shots.
Friday night before 3,704 fans in Spokane, the Cougars got a first period goal from Josh Maser and second period goals from Connor Bowie and Mitchell Kohner .
Blake Eastman picked up an assist on Bowie’s game-winner for his first WHL point.
Spokane outshot PG 45-24 overall.
The only Chiefs goal from Bobby Russell came early in the second.
Neither team tallied on the power-play (Prince George 0/2 and Spokane 0/3).
The game highlights are right here.
Having played in six of his team’s seven games this season, Gauthier has a 2.68 goals-against-average and a 0.917 save percentage, numbers that are better than each of his first two seasons in the WHL.
Brennan was not able to back-up as he is out on a day-to-day basis with an upper-body injury.
This week, the Cougars signed 2002-born goaltender Jacob Herman to a WHL Standard Player Agreement.
Herman, a free agent signing who was added to the Cougars’ 50-man Protected List last season, has spent this season with the Swift Current Legionnaires in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League.
The (2-4-0-1) Cougars visit the (4-3) Tri-City Americans tonight (Saturday) before hosting Spokane on October 17th and 18th.