Winterhawks Down Cougars 4-3 in Shootout Friday

January 16, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release

Chase De Leo scored the winner in a shootout as the Portland Winterhawks (24-19-0-3) defeated the Prince George Cougars (20-23-1-1) 4-3 in a shootout Friday.

The Hawks opened the scoring 4:30 into the game when Paul Bittner brought the puck across the middle and flipped a backhand past Cougars netminder Ty Edmonds for an early 1-0 lead. Prince George evened it on a power play goal from Tyler Mrkonjic at the 8:13 mark, but just 1:29 later the Hawks struck on a man advantage of their own when De Leo redirected a Nic Petan point shot past Edmonds for a 2-1 lead.

The Cougars tied it again on another power play at the 11:05 mark when Josh Connolly made it 2-2, then took a 3-2 lead at 15:54 on a power play goal from Chase Witala, which remained the score going into the second.

The game settled down in the second as the two teams were scoreless in the frame, as the Cougars maintained their 3-2 lead heading into the third.

It remained a one-goal game until late in the third, when Hawks forward Miles Koules took the puck into the slot, used a defenseman as a screen and wired a shot past Edmonds to even the game at 3-3 at the 16:54 mark, setting up overtime.

Neither team found the back of the net in the extra frame, setting up the shootout. De Leo scored in the second round of the shootout and Hawks netminder Adin Hill stopped all three Prince George attempts to seal the win.

Hill didn't allow any goals after the first period, and finished with 31 saves on 34 shots for the victory. Edmonds gave up three goals on 39 Portland shots, and allowed the goal to De Leo in the shootout.

The Hawks and Cougars meet again tomorrow night in Prince George.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 16, 2015

• Seattle wins over Kelowna - Kelowna Rockets
• Americans Fend off Giants 3-0 - Tri-City Americans
• Americans Blank Giants 3-0 - Vancouver Giants
• Winterhawks Down Cougars 4-3 in Shootout Friday - Portland Winterhawks
• Royals Trip up Rebels - Victoria Royals
• Royals Edge Rebels 2-1 in a Shootout - Red Deer Rebels
• Bauer Nets Three in Oil Kings' Win - Edmonton Oil Kings
• Pats lose to Oil Kings - Regina Pats
• Tigers Suffer Second Straight Loss in Saskatoon - Medicine Hat Tigers
• Mad Mondays Return January 19th - Victoria Royals
• Tickets Limited for January 23rd - Regina Pats
• Game 43: January 16 vs. Saskatoon - Medicine Hat Tigers
• Preview: Regina Pats at Edmonton Oil Kings - Regina Pats

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