Make it 10 in a row!
That’s how many consecutive games the Kamloops Blazers have won at CN Centre dating back to March of 2017.
In addition, the Blazers are 5-0 against Prince George this season (outscoring them 20-8) to move ahead of the Cougars in the standings.
On Sunday afternoon before 2,474 fans, the Blazers continued the streak thanks to a come-from-behind effort.
Despite superb goaltending from PG’s Taylor Gauthier, Kamloops edged the Cougars 3-2 in overtime.
Zane Franklin, a Cougar killer, scored with 49.2 seconds left in OT, his third goal and ninth point against Prince George in five games this season.
The Cougars played better than the night before (a 3-1 Kamloops Saturday victory) but for just the second time this season they lost (12-0-1-1) when leading after 40-minutes.
After neither team tallied in the first, Josh Maser finished off a highlight reel pass from Ethan Browne to give Prince George a short-lived 1-0 lead 12 minutes into the second.
? WHL Highlight of the Night ?
January 20, 2019@ethanbrowne01 ➡ @joshmaser88 of the @PGCougars#WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/Hrd1ZCVuZF— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 21, 2019
Kamloops defenceman Montana Onyebuchi tied the game 23 seconds later, but Matéj Toman put gave P.G a
a 2-1 lead cashing in a rebound with just over four minutes left in the period.
Martin Lang tied the game for the Blazers at 8:38 of the third.
Gauthier stopped 35 of 38 shots in the P.G. net while Dylan Ferguson blocked 27 of 29 shots for his second win in as many days.
Highlights from today’s game.
— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) January 21, 2019
The 16-24-2-2 Cougars are last in the Western Conference but just a point behind the (17-24-2-1) Blazers and (16-21-4-1) Seattle Thunderbirds, who are tied for the second and final wild-card playoff spot.
Prince George is also six points back of the (19-22-3-1) Kelowna Rockets, who are third in the B.C. Division.
The Cougars and Blazers still meet four more time in the regular season with the next three in Kamloops.
A six-game homestand for the Cougars will conclude on Tuesday against the (24-11-6-2) Moose Jaw Warriors.
Gauthier’s streak of nine consecutive P.G. starts will end.
The 17-year-old Gauthier is one of 40 players that will be in Red Deer for the 24th annual CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game which will be played on Wednesday.
SCORING SUMMARY
First Period
No scoring.
Second Period
Cougars [1-0] Josh Maser (18) from Ethan Browne and Jackson Leppard 12:01
Blazers [1-1] Montana Onyebuchi (4) from Martin Lang and Connor Zary 12:27
Cougars [2-1] Matéj Toman (5) from Mitch Kohner and Mike MacLean 15:10
Third Period
Blazers [2-2] Martin Lang (10) from Jermaine Loewen and Connor Zary 8:38
Overtime
Blazers [3-2] Zane Franklin (21) from Orrin Centazzo 4:11
GOALTENDING
Cougars- Taylor Gauthier (Loss)Â 35/38
Blazers- Dylan Ferguson (Win)Â 27/29
POWER-PLAY
Cougars-Â 0/1
Blazers- 0/0
Â
KAM 3 PG 2 (OT)
RD 4 CGY 1
VIC 2 EVT 1
TC 3 POR 2— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 21, 2019