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WHL Prince George Cougars

Third Period Comeback Falls Just Short

February 21, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince George Cougars News Release


The Prince George Cougars battle the Kelowna Rockets
The Prince George Cougars battle the Kelowna Rockets
(Prince George Cougars)

KELOWNA, BC - The Prince George Cougars valiant comeback attempt came up just short Tuesday, in their 6-5 loss to the Kelowna Rockets.

Down 6-2 to start the third, the Cougars scored three answered goals to put a scare into the top team in the BC Division, but the Rockets would hang on for their fifth win against the Cougars this season.

Jackson Leppard, Vladislav Mikhalchuk, Ryan Schoettler, Rhett Rhinehart and Jared Bethune scored for the visitors. Tavin Grant started the game but was replaced by Taylor Gauthier after surrendering three goals in the first five and a half minutes. Grant later came back into the game in the third period, after Taylor Gauthier left due to injury.

It was a sluggish start, as the Rockets scored on their first shot just 49-seconds in, then Carsen Twarynski scored twice in 29-second to make it 3-0. Dillon Dube made it 1-0, scoring from the right face-off circle, after taking a drop pass from Liam Kindree. Twarynski made it 2-0 just past the five-minute mark, cashing in on a Rockets' power-play. Twarynski added another, half a minute later, putting a cross-ice pass underneath the pads of Grant to put the Rockets up by three.

After that third Rockets' goal, Grant was replaced by Taylor Gauthier.

The Cougars broke the goose-egg, 10-minutes into the first when Jackson Leppard scored his 13th. On their opening power-play, Leppard tipped in a slap-pass from Jared Bethune at 10:13.

Kelowna responded, and quickly, as 46-seconds later Liam Kindree showed some good stick work of his own. Gordie Ballhorn let go the point-shot, that Kindree got a piece of his stick too, knocking the puck down and underneath a standing Gauthier at 10:59.

Prince George got that one back too, as Vladislav Mikhalchuk made it 4-2 late in the first period. Leppard spun a backhand attempt on goal, after taking a pass out of the corner. Leppard was stopped, but that rebound went right to Mikhalchuk, who quickly shoveled it in at 14:45; his third goal in the last two games.

The Cougars had a push in the second, hoping to chisel away at the deficit. Their best chance came off the stick of Josh Curtis. The Cougars' forward had a partial breakaway up the middle, after a turnover at the Rockets' blue-line. Curtis got in behind the defense, but he couldn't sneak his shot past Salmond's blocker.

Dillon Dube padded the Rockets lead, making it 5-2 at 12:09 after a rush down the right-wing. Dube skated down the puck, held off the back-checking defenseman, and fired a backhand upstairs on Gauthier; his second of the game. Then Erik Gardiner tried to his best to one up the Dube goal. After being knocked down at the side of the net, Gardiner, whilst laying on the ice, reached back and hooked the puck into the open net after the puck dribbled by Gauthier; Gardiner making it 6-2 with five and a half minutes left in the middle frame.

Prince George came out with a determined effort in the third, rallying for three goals and they outshot the Rockets 15-8 in the final 20-minutes.

Ryan Schoettler made it a 6-3 game, six-minutes into the third period. Schoettler got the puck along the boards and surprised the goalie, as his blast from the left-wing beat Salmond on the short-side. Rhett Rhinehart made it 6-4 two and a half minutes later. The rookie defenceman found the back of the net with a seeing-eye shot from the blue-line; his first WHL goal coming nine-minutes in.

Then, Jared Bethune had a highlight reel goal in the third period to make it a one goal game. Short-handed, Bethune forced the puck out of his own zone, then out-muscled the defenceman Cal Foote at the Rockets' blue-line, before breaking down the middle and going upstairs with a backhand deke at 15:54.

Prince George pushed late, pulling the goalie for the extra-skater inside the final two-minutes. They pressured but simply ran out of time.

FINAL SCORE: 6-5 Rockets

Shots: 37-37

Power-Plays: Cougars 1/2 Rockets 1/6

Three Stars: 1) Dillon Dube 2) Carsen Twarynski 3) Jared Bethune

The Cougars (20-31-4-4) continues their four-game road trip Friday, against the Spokane Chiefs (33-21-3-2). Fans can listen to the game on 94.3 The GOAT, or watch WHL Live starting with the pre-game show at 6:50 pm PT.

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The Prince George Cougars battle the Kelowna Rockets
The Prince George Cougars battle the Kelowna Rockets
   



Western Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2018


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