The Prince George Cougars defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2 in a Western Hockey League game Friday night at the ShoWare Center.
The T-Birds host the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in the last game before the holiday break.
Prince George (25-8-2-0) took a 1-0 lead 54 seconds into the first period on a goal from Colby McAuley. Tate Olson and Sam Ruopp had the assists.
Seattle (16-13-2-1) tied the game 1-1 at 13:18 of the first. Nolan Volcan passed the puck off the left boards to Sami Moilanen in the slot. Moilanen took a shot that missed the net but ended up behind the Prince George net. Scott Eansor got the puck and faked like he was going to come out from behind the net at the right post. Eansor brought the puck back, faked going to the left post and then wrapped the puck around at the right post and through McBride’s legs for his 16th goal of the season.
Seattle outshot Prince George 11-8 in the first period.
The Cougars went in front 2-1 at 6:57 of the second period on a Brad Morrison’s goal. Yan Khomenko and Shane Collins were credited with the assists.
Khomenko scored a power-play goal at 10:13 of the second to make it a 3-1 Prince George lead. Morrison and Jansen Harkins had the assists.
The Cougars outshot the T-Birds 13-7 in the second period and led 21-18 in shots after two periods.
At 7:18 of the third period Keegan Kolesar was awarded a penalty shot when he was hooked on a shorthanded breakaway. Kolesar came down on McBride, made a move to his backhand and took a shot that McBride was able to get his blocker on.
The T-Birds pulled goalie Rylan Toth for an extra attacker with just over two minutes in the game. Volcan tipped an Ethan Bear wrist shot past McBride at 18:56 of the third to cut the Cougars lead to one goal. Turner Ottenbreit had the second assist.
The T-Birds kept the pressure on Prince George but were unable to get the tying goal.
Prince George outshot Seattle 13-9 in the third period and 34-27 in the game.
Toth made 31 saves on 34 shots and his record is 12-13-1-0. McBride stopped 25 of 27 shots and his record is 6-3-1-0.
Tickets
Fans may purchase single game tickets online or at the ShoWare Center box office. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Prince George, McAuley 13 (Olson, Ruopp), :56. 2, Seattle, Eansor 16 (Moilanen, Volcan), 13:18. Penalties – McDonald, PG (tripping), 4:49. Volcan, Sea (slashing), 15:50.
Second period – 3, Prince George, Morrison 15 (Khomenko, Collins), 6:57. 4, Prince George, Khomenko 10 (Morrison, Harkins), 10:13 (pp). Penalties – Allbee, Sea (slashing), 8:28. Adams, Sea (major-fighting), 11:07. McDonald, PG (major-fighting), 11:07. Kolesar, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct, major-fighting), 12:16. Ruopp, PG (major-fighting), 12:16. Morrison, PG (slashing), 12:16. McDonald, PG (10-minute misconduct), 12:16.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Volcan 12 (Bear, Ottenbreit), 18:56. Penalties – Wedman, Sea (holding). 6:08. Kolesar, Sea (roughing), 10:23. Harkins, PG (roughing), 10:23. Kolesar, Sea (roughing), 14:54. Ruopp, PG (roughing), 14:54. Lakusta, PG (tripping), 15:07.
Shots on goal – Seattle 11-7-9 28, Prince George 8-13-13 34. Goalies – Seattle, Toth 34 shots-31 saves (12-13-1-0); Prince George, McBride 27-25 (6-3-1-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Prince George 1-3. A – 3,444. Referees – Sean Raphael, Colin Watt. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Mark Heier.
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