Radovan Bondra and Jansen Harkins scored the only goals of the shootout to give the Prince George Cougars a 6-5 win over the visiting Portland Winterhawks Wednesday night at CN Centre.
Cougars goalie Nick McBride stopped all three Portland shooters he faced to earn his eighth win of the season, making 46 saves before it got to the shootout stage.
Harkins, Bondra, Brad Morrison, Brogan O'Brien, and Colby McAuley scored in regulation time for the Cougars. Ryan Hughes led the Winterhawks with two goals, while Brad Ginnell, Alex Overhardt and Jake Gricius fired singles.
The win improved the Cougars' record to 33-12-2-0), while the Winterhawks (22-20-1-1) picked up a point for the shootout loss.
Fans who didn't get to the rink in time for the opening face-off probably missed Morrison's opening goal 10 seconds in. The 19-year-old New York Rangers draft pick was in perfect position to rap in the rebound kicked out by Cole Kehler after he'd made the stop on O'Brien.
The 'Hawks tied it at 3:07 but it took video replay to determine it was a goal. Hughes took the shot that had just enough momentum to cross the line in behind the legs of Cougars goalie Nick McBride.
Morrison was the instigator of the second Prince George goal, carrying the puck in deep after a nifty deke on Skylar McKenzie. The puck came out to Harkins in the slot and he dumped it in the open side of the net behind Kehler.
But the Winterhawks, despite having one of the youngest teams in the WHL with two 16-year-olds, eight 17-year-olds and five 18-year-olds, refused to go away quietly. Ginnell tied it 2-2 on a Portland power play, jamming it in while standing just off the post.
The Cougars started the second period with a bang. O'Brien's shot from the slot found the target low to Kehler's glove side just 35 seconds into the period. Morrison drew an assist for his third point of the night. It didn't take long for the visitors to counter. Hughes stole the puck and cut into the slot, firing a wrist shot in off McBride's glove at the 8:08 mark.
Bondra restored the lead for the Cougars 13:43 into the second, converting on a backhander from close range on a backhand pass from linemate McAuley. It was the fourth goal for Bondra in five games since joining the Cougars in a trade from the Vancouver Giants. But the Portland power play struck again, 4:33 into the third period when Overhardt batted down a point shot from Brendan De Jong.
McAuley finally connected on a Cougars' power play that had been struggling at a 3-for-41 pace, rushing the net and finishing a high shot to the short side while falling just outside the crease with just eight seconds left in Overhardt's tripping penalty. With his assist on McAuley's goal, the 19-year-old Bondra has eight points as a Cougar.
That didn't impress the 'Hawks much. They got the Cougars on their heels in their own zone and tied it 5-5. Gricius jammed the net and punched it through a tangle of bodies with 5:54 left on the clock.
Both teams were missing key players. A flu bug kept defenceman Caleb Jones, who helped the U.S. win the world junior tournament a few weeks ago, and centre Cody Glass, their leading scorer, confined to their hotel rooms.
Winger Keegan Iverson, the 'Hawks third-leading scorer, was out with a knee injury and left winger Brett Calyton was out with an upper-body ailment.
Not dressed for the Cougars was defenceman Sam Ruopp, who got hurt in the first period of Thursday's game in Medicine Hat in a collision with Tigers defenceman Kristians Rubins. Cats right winger Jesse Gabrielle served the second game of three-game suspension for cross-checking Calgary Hitmen winger Jake Kryski at the end of their game Saturday in Calgary.
Winger Tanner Wishnowski, acquired at the trade deadline from Spokane, remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. The 19-year-old has yet to play for the Cougars.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Cougars have moved up two spots in this week's CHL team rankings, from No. 10 to No. 8. The Regina Pats continue to top the poll with Everett Silvertips dropping one rung to the No. 4 slot. Medicine Hat earned an honourable mention... The Cats host the Moose Jaw Warriors this Friday, then take to the road to play the Blazers in Kamloops Saturday night, the start of a five-game trip that stops Sunday in Vancouver.
