After what seemed like a drag through Canada’s flat, snowy prairie lands, the Prince George Cougars found energy and enthusiasm Friday night in Manitoba.
Down by one after both periods, a spark ignited in the third, leading to a pair of goals, including one short-handed to beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 3-2 on a comeback.
On 94.3 the GOAT’s post-game show, Cougars Assistant Head Coach Steve O’Rourke says this was a more evenly-matched night, and it was important to get the win in regulation.
“It took us a bit to get going, but we competed well, we dominated the play; I thought we weren’t winning the face-off to start with, but those eventually kicked in. Point-for-point, we need to keep shooting the puck because we have a tendency to overpass and we need these guys to be encouraged that they can score goals.”
What a comeback! @ilijahcolina17 with 2nd of the game, late, is the game-winner! FINAL: 3-2 Cougars.#WHL #PGvsBDN
? Tim Smith / Brandon Sun pic.twitter.com/cJHm7l4mox— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) February 3, 2018
The Wheat Kings opened the scoring and kept it that way after 20 minutes, but Forward Ilijah Colina stepped up to the plate in the early minutes of the second stanza.
The soon-to-be 18-year-old tied it up, but the score only lasted six minutes as Brandon got the one-goal advantage back.
The comeback began with Jared Bethune’s short-handed tally, his second straight in as many games off a long pass from Defenceman Joel Lakusta, and was followed by Colina’s game-winning goal with less than three minutes on the board for a 3-2 lead.
Goaltender Isaiah DiLaura stood strong between the pipes in the dying seconds by finishing with 28 saves in the contest, nabbing his second career WHL victory.
FINAL: @PGCougars (3) at @bdnwheatkings (2)
SCORING ? | https://t.co/k5KZsUa8rP#BDNvsPG
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 3, 2018
Prince George corralled its 19th win of the 2017-18 season, improving its overall record to 19-26-4-4.
The Cats play one last game in the East Division, tonight at 5PM against the Moose Jaw Warriors, before returning home to the Northern capital.
They’ll face Kamloops at the CN Centre February 9th and 10th.
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