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WHL Prince George Cougars

Cougars Fall Short in Thrilling Contest in Portland

January 7, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince George Cougars News Release


PORTLAND, OR - In a heart-pounding contest at the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, the Prince George Cougars dropped a 4-3 decision to the Portland Winterhawks in a nail-biting battle.

The first period set the tone for the evening with an early scuffle between Nicholas McLennan and Kyle McDonaugh. Shortly after, Arjun Bawa was awarded a penalty shot, but Winterhawks' goaltender Nick Avakyan denied the attempt. The spirited stanza saw Portland take the lead with Josh Davies notching the first goal at 15:02. The Cougars responded swiftly, with Zac Funk scoring his league-leading 41st goal of the season at 16:04, levelling the score at 1-1. The first period concluded with the game tied, and the Cougars outshooting Portland 16-12.

Prince George seized their first lead of the game in the second period when Carlin Dezainde found the back of the net off a pass from Zac Funk, making it 2-1 in favour of the Cats. The Winterhawks responded with a power-play goal from Gabe Klassen, knotting the game at 2-2 at 7:15. Despite the Winterhawks' equalizer, Prince George maintained their lead in shots, outshooting Portland 15-8.

The final frame was a spectacle of tremendous action on both sides. Portland capitalized on a 5 on 3 power play, with James Stefan scoring at 4:11, giving the Winterhawks a 3-2 lead. The Cougars fought back at 5 on 5, as Borya Valis tipped in a Chase Pauls shot, marking Valis's first goal as a Cougar at 11:01. In a tense closing minute, the Winterhawks secured the victory with a late go-ahead goal from Josh Davies, earning his second of the game at 19:00.

The Prince George Cougars now conclude their five-game road swing in Everett on Sunday at 4:05 pm, aiming for a strong rebound after the intense battle in Portland.

FINAL SCORE:

PG 3 POR 4

FINAL SHOTS:

PG 40 POR 28

POWER-PLAYS:

PG: 0-4 POR: 3-7

GOALTENDERS:

PG: Josh Ravensbergen (60:00 - 24/28)

POR: Nick Avakyan (60:00 - 36/39)

3 STARS:

1.POR: James Stefan (1-3-4)

2.POR: Josh Davies (2-0-2)

3.POR: Nick Avakyan (36 Saves)

POST GAME INTERVIEW WITH ASSOCIATE COACH JIM PLAYFAIR

https://media.chl.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2024/01/07050612/Jim-Playfair-Interview-jan-7.mp3

Check out the Prince George Cougars Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2024


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