So much for getting on a roll.
Evan Sarthou and the Tri-City Americans took that possibility away from the Prince George Cougars. Sarthou, a 17-year-old goaltender from Black Diamond, Wash., turned in a gem of an effort while making 34 saves, 20 of which came in the third period, as he handed the Cougars a 5-3 loss in front of 2,294 witnesses Wednesday at CN Centre.
It was sweet redemption for Sarthou, who was yanked off the ice Tuesday after allowing five Cougar goals on the way to an 8-4 loss. Trailing by two in the third period, the Cougars cut the lead in half on the power play, a tap-in for Brad Morrison served up by Chase Witala, the third assist of the game for the Cats winger. After killing a penalty, the Cougars stormed the Tri-City net with a late-game flourish but Sarthou didnt flinch, taking away great chances for the equalizer from Witala and Zach Pochiro in a frenzied final minute with goalie Ty Edmonds on the bench.
Czech import Richard Nejezchleb iced it with an empty-netter.
In stark contrast to Tuesdays all-out offensive display, both teams put the emphasis on defensive-zone coverage, which drastically reduced the scoring opportunities at either end.
The Cougars opened the scoring 4:31 into the game on a point shot from 16-year-old rookie Josh Anderson - the first of his WHL career - which ticked in off the skate of an Americans defenceman.
Taylor Vickerman, a native of Kennewick, Wash, the home of the Americans, tied it up seven minutes later on a fast-break 2-on-1. Morgan Geekie took off down the right wing and centred the puck in front for Vickerman, who tipped it high over Edmonds.
Pochiro broke the deadlock a minute into the second period, rifling a shot high from the deep slot after Chase Witala circled behind the net with the puck. But that lead lasted just 80 seconds. Shane Collins had trouble handling the puck at the Americans blueline, setting up an odd-man rush that led to a scramble in front of the Cougars net and Jordan Topping getting his stick on the loose puck and whacking it in.
Justin Gutierrez gave the visitors their first lead of the night late in the second period, just 14 seconds after Cougar captain Sam Ruopp was sent off for slashing. The Americans won the draw and Gutierrez gained the puck at the side of the net and chipped it in off the back of Edmonds.
Nolan Yaremko made it 4-2 Tri-City in the third period, cashing in a rebound.
The win ended the Americans four-game losing streak as they improved to 19-19-0-2. The loss left the Cougars with a 20-22-0-0 record, third in the B.C. Division.
LOOSE PUCKS: Cougar RW David Soltes drew a rousing ovation when he was introduced to the crowd before the game sporting his Team Slovakia jersey and bronze medal he won Monday at the world junior hockey championship in Toronto. Soltes, a 19-year-old from Kosice, Slovakia, scored Slovakias first goal in a 4-2 win over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. He will be back in the Cougars lineup on Friday in Victoria, where they play the Royals in a two-game set... The Medicine Hat Tigers will play the Royals tonight in Victoria in a makeup game postponed from Tuesday. The Tigers got stuck in Revelstoke when heavy snowfall in the southern Interior resulted in avalanches that closed Highway 1 on Tuesday. The game will be broadcast on Shaw Cable 10.
