They made it a series, but defeat tastes just as bitter.
After trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference Final, the clock struck midnight on the Prince George Cougars.
Josh Davies wrist shot off the post in double overtime clinched the Portland Winterhawks ticket to the WHL Final claiming a 2-1 victory on Monday night in front of 6.016 fans at CN Centre.
“It’s an amazing feeling. These guys are like a band of brothers and I came in here not knowing what to expect and they took me in right away. To get this goal, it means the world to me to do it with these guys and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”
Davies, who was acquired by the Winterhawks last summer from the Swift Current Broncos for defenceman Ryan McCleary returned to the lineup after missing games two through five after sustaining an injury in the series opener at the northern capital.
“It’s not fun sitting on the sidelines watching your brothers go to war every night especially against a good team like Prince George. To be able to come back and have a special playoff moment like this, I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
.@pdxwinterhawks forward Josh Davies chatting with the media post game on his double OT winner against @PGCougars to move on to WHL Final #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports #WHLPlayoffs #sports pic.twitter.com/9CkzkD5wMf
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) May 7, 2024
For the Cougars its more pain on the playoff side after getting dispatched in round two last season by a stacked Seattle Thunderbirds team who fell one win shy of winning the Memorial Cup.
Despite falling short of the league final, PG head coach and general manager Mark Lamb told the media post-game it was another step forward in the franchise’s evolution.
“It’s a great experience for our team. We are very disappointed right now but winning is hard. You have to go through some lessons and our guys are going through some lessons right now – they are really feeling it as you can tell by that dressing room. I think that is a real good thing.”
Lamb on how this experience in the Western Conference Final can help the team grow heading into next season @PGCougars #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports #WHL pic.twitter.com/ZyNxos1OoA
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) May 7, 2024
Josh Ravensbergen (PG) and Jan Spunar (Winterhawks) were sharp in their respective crease stopping a combined 84 out of 87 shots. PG outshot the Winterhawks 49-38 but failed to score on five power-play opportunities.
Ravensbergen had to be sharp early in the first period stopping a 2-on-1 chance off the blade of Davies by sticking out his pad in desperation.
Spunar was equal to the task a few minutes later stoning Borya Valis twice from point-blank range following a spin-o-rama pass from Carlin Dezainde.
A 🍔 a day keeps the 🦅away!@PGCougars | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/dpML59kveu
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 7, 2024
🎶Feel the rhythm with your hands
(Steal the rhythm while you can)🎶SPOONMAN!@pdxwinterhawks | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/mJ3bWyiWhl
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 7, 2024
An early turning point in the hockey game was the Cougars inability to cash in on a four-minute double-minor to Davies after PG forward Nick McClennan levelled an opposing player along the board.
The goaltender’s duel continued into the second period as Ravensbergen robbed Kyle Chyzowski on another odd-man rush.
Nate Danielson finally provided the ice breaker for the visitors tucking home a loose puck past the inside post over an outstretched Ravensbergen.
Danielson, the 9th overall pick of the Detroit Red Wings, was arguably Portland’s best forward finishing the series with 11 points in six games.
The marker was initially waved off on the ice but upon further review it was determined by the video goal judge to have crossed the red line.
A minute was added onto the clock as time originally expired to mark the end of the second period – but due to the reversal time had to be added back on and several Cougar players were forced to return from the dressing room and finish up the sequence.
The Winterhawks were mainly playing with four blueliners from the middle period onwards after Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Sotheran exited the game after blocking three consecutive Cougar shots.
That meant Josh Mori, Marek Alscher, Tyson Jugnauth and Ryder Thompson were forced to play big minutes while sprinkling in Cole Slobodian who suited up in his first WHL game after coming over from the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
“All four of those guys played huge minutes tonight,” said Mike Johnston, Winterhawks head coach and general manager.
“Cole Slobodian in his first game, you don’t get to see that much in the playoffs – it’s kind of a unique experience and I thought he was good out there. Our depth on defence has been the back bone of our team and I thought our transition game was built from our defence.”
Johnston speaks to the gutsy effort from his blueline after losing Carter Southern in the second period in 2-1 win over @PGCougars #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports #WHL pic.twitter.com/7JcrLvY2ny
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) May 7, 2024
Luca Cagnoni missed five out of the six games in the series due to injury for the Hawks.
Valis equaled the score for PG at 5:45 of the third period capitalizing on the yeoman’s work of Riley Heidt and a slick feed from Zac Funk to force extra time.
Portland takes the series 4-2 and advances to its first WHL Final since 2014.
In a short summer where the winds of change will ripple around the CN Centre, the Cougars will no doubt ponder what could have been.
Now it’s up to the reigning WHL Head Coach and Executive of the Year (Lamb) to re-tool a roster that is still a title contender in 2024-25, but will have to shore up the blueline with graduation of Hudson Thornton and Chase Pauls.
Riley Heidt will be the number one option offensively for the Cougars heading into next followed by Super Rookie Terik Parascak who put up a 40-goal campaign in his first WHL season.
The biggest offensive hole to fill will be the departure of Zac Funk who is turning pro after signing with the Washington Capitals in March. Funk led the league in goals with 67 while also posting an eye-popping 123 points.
Funk set the franchise record for power-play markers in a regular season with 31 – surpassing his former teammate Chase Wheatcroft.
However, Lamb didn’t give the 20-year-old surplus much thought after the game.
“It’s hard to say right now. There are so many things that can happen – we don’t know what is going to happen with Becher and we have no idea what is going to happen with Kmec because we have the summer and NHL camps.”
“It will all work itself out.”
The Cougars will now shift their focus to the WHL US Priority Draft on Wednesday and then turning to the 2024 Prospects Draft a day later (Thursday).
Johnston speaks to the gutsy effort from his blueline after losing Carter Southern in the second period in 2-1 win over @PGCougars #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports #WHL pic.twitter.com/7JcrLvY2ny
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) May 7, 2024
Portland will stay in Prince George and await he winner of the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors Eastern Final.
If the Warriors win, the Winterhawks will have home-ice advantage.
A Saskatoon victory would mean Portland would fly to Saskatchewan for Games One and Two of the series.
Game 7 of that series is tonight (Tuesday) from the Bridge City.
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