The Prince George Cougars have finally seen the last of the Vancouver Giants this season.
The Giants clinched a playoff spot after winning their fifth straight game, four of them against Prince George (in a nine-day stretch).
Vancouver took eight of the nine regular season meetings against P.G.
Sunday afternoon before 3,663 fans in Langley, the (37-13-2-1) Giants scored three unanswered goals in the third period to post a 4-1 victory.
? WHL Highlight of the Night ?
February 10, 2019@tristen_080 of the @WHLGiants#WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/qbZ0r1qobr— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 11, 2019
It was the second-straight game the Cougars came up empty in the final 20 minutes.
On Friday in Kelowna, they led 3-2 before the Rockets scored twice in the third for a 4-3 triumph.
The Cougars have lost 13 in a row (0-10-3) and two straight since general manager Mark Lamb replaced Richard Matvichuk as head coach.
Watch the highlights here.
Ethan Browne tallied on the power play to give Prince George a 1-0 lead after one.
While the Cougars power play is 20th in the WHL (16.8 %), they have scored with the man advantage in seven straight games.
David Tendeck made 32 saves for the Giants and Taylor Gauthier blocked 25 of 29 shots for the Cats.
Cougars rookie forward Mitch Kohner suffered an upper-body injury in the third period.
Giants defenceman Bowen Byram, who hit Kohner, was assessed a five-minute major Checking to the Head penalty and a game misconduct.
Kohner will be evaluated in Prince George.
The 16-32-4-2 Cougars are last in the Western Conference, seven points behind the (20-27-4-1) Kamloops Blazers and 10 back of the (21-26-5-1) Seattle Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds hold down the final wild-card playoff spot.
Prince George, with just 14 games remaining, will begin a four-game homestand Friday and Saturday against the (27-22-1-2) Victoria Royals.
Cougars associate coach Steve O’Rourke will miss the next two weeks, as he heads to the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.
O’Rourke is the head coach of Team B.C. men’s U-16 hockey team.
SCORING SUMMARY
First Period
Cougars [1-0] Ethan Browne (8) from Ryan Schoettler and Cole Moberg 9:00 PP
Second Period
Giants [1-1] Jared Dmytriw (12) from Jadon Joseph and Bowen Byram :42
Third Period
Giants [2-1] Davis Koch (22) from Bowen Byram 7:06 PP
Giants [3-1] Justin Sourdif (15) from Davis Koch 11:35
Giants [4-1] Tristen Nielsen (10) unassisted 15:24
GOALTENDING
Cougars- Taylor Gauthier (Loss) 25/29
Giants- David Tendeck (Win) 31/32
POWER PLAY
Cougars- 1/5
Giants- 1/3
BDN 3 SAS 6
MJ 2 CGY 6
REG 2 EDM 5
PG 1 VAN 4
MH 2 POR 1 (SO)— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 11, 2019
LISTEN: @Hartley_Miller‘s Cat Scan – February 7th, 2019…..featuring @PGCougars alumni Evan Fuller
| https://t.co/YjddMi8qq2 #cityofpg #sports #WHL pic.twitter.com/X40yFXPGXR— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) February 8, 2019
(All of the PG Cougars Cat Scan Podcasts can be found right here)