In a chippy, penalty filled pre-season game Friday night in Maple Ridge, the Vancouver Giants beat the Prince George Cougars 3-1.
The two teams combined for 14 power-plays and the game also featured a line brawl late in the third period.
Keaton Dowhaniuk, Jaren Brinson, Connor Bowie and Mitch Kohner were all assessed fighting majors for Prince George.
Riley Heidt scored the Cougars’ lone goal, on a five-on-three power-play, early in the second period.
Payton Mount scored all three of Vancouver’s goals.
His first two came on the power-play in the first three-minutes of the first period.
His third was into an empty net in the final minute of regulation.
Taylor Gauthier kicked out 26 of 28 shots in his pre-season debut for the Cougars, who are 1-2 in three exhibition games.
The Cougars conclude their 2021 pre-season schedule tonight (Saturday) in Victoria against the Royals before starting the regular season at home on Saturday, October 2nd against the Kamloops Blazers.
Scoring
Cougars: Riley Heidt
Giants: Payton Mount (3)
Goaltending
Cougars: Taylor Gauthier, 26/29, 58:51
Giants: Will Gurski, 29/30, 60:00
Power-Play
Cougars: 1/5
Giants: 2/9
Shots
Cougars: 30
Giants: 29
With files from Fraser Rodgers of the PG Cougars