Chase Witala scored his team high 28th goal of the season at 1:15 of overtime to give the Prince George Cougars a 3-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. Rookie Tavin Grant made 40 saves for the (23-32-2-2) Cougars who were outshot 42-26. The Cats conclude their Alberta trip Monday afternoon in Edmonton.
–Just one point separates three teams in the race for third place in the BC Division of the WHL. Vancouver is 3rd with 51 points followed by Prince George and Kamloops with 50.
–The Victoria Grizzlies scored the last four goals of the game, three of them in the third period, to upend the Prince George Spruce Kings 6-2. The 26-22-0-5 Spruce Kings remain third in the BCHL Mainland Division, two points behind the Langley Rivermen with each team having five games to go, three against each other. The Spruce Kings play Thursday in Langley, Friday in Surrey and Sunday the 22nd in Chilliwack before hosting Langley on the 27th and 28th to conclude the regular season.
–The Cariboo Cougars tied the Vancouver North West Giants 2-2 in a match-up of the top two teams in the BC Major Midget League. The Cougars and Giants have a rematch today at the Burnaby Winter Club.
–B.C. champion Patti Knezevic of Prince George lost 8-2 to Saskatchewan in her opening game at the National Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw. Knezevic plays Quebec and Manitoba in the round robin today and PEI and Team Canada on Monday.
–Two Prince George biathletes competed at a Biathlon World Cup sprint race in Oslo, Norway on Saturday. Megan Heinicke placed 68th and Sarah Beaudry finished 80th out of 92 in the women’s 7.5-kilometre sprint.
–The UNBC Timberwolves men’s basketball team finished second in the Canada West Explorer Division with a 12-8 record following a pair of wins in Kelowna against the UBCO Heat (86-56 Thursday and 85-64 Friday). The UNBC men will play a best of three series at UBC (third in Pioneer Division) Feb 26th, 27th and if needed the 28th. Meanwhile, the Lady Timberwolves ended their basketball season 2-18 after a pair of losses to UBCO (66-60 Thursday and 65-49 Friday).
Best of 3 series (UNBC at UBC)
Thursday, February 26 at 7pm
Friday, February 27 at 8pm
Saturday, February 28 at 7pm (if needed)
–Team BC earned two gold, one silver and one bronze in freestyle skiing (slope style) for a total of four medals on the first day of Canada Winter Games competition in Prince George. Elena Gaskell, 13, of Vernon took gold while her teammate Sofiane Gagnon, 15, of Whistler captured bronze, Teal Harle, 18, also from Whistler, won gold in the men’s competition, while Vernon’s Patrick Dew, 16, captured silver.
–In other Games competition: Nova Scotia edged BC 4-3 in overtime in ringette. The BC ringette team, that includes Sydney Irving of Prince George, will play its second game Monday at 11:30 a.m. at the PG Coliseum. In women’s hockey, Quebec skunked BC 7-0.
–The Canada Winter Games sports schedule for today includes: Alpine Skiing, Archery, Biathlon, Curling, Freestyle Skiing, Gymnastics, Hockey, Ringette and Speed Skating.