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Cougars tie franchise record with win over Tri-City

After a 6-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans Friday in Kennewick, Wash, the Prince George Cougars are still in first place in the WHL's B.C. Division.
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After a 6-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans Friday in Kennewick, Wash, the Prince George Cougars are still in first place in the WHL's B.C. Division.

Their 21st triumph on the road was their 43rd of the season overall and that tied the Cougars' franchise record for most wins in a season, established in 1997-98 and matched in 1999-2000.

Jesse Gabrielle had a productive night with two goals, his 32nd and 33rd of the season, to spark the Cougar offence. Radovan Bondra kept up his trend as the hottest Cougar picking up a goal and an assist. That gave the Slovakian import 13 points in his last six games.

Jared Bethune, Sam Ruopp and Jansen Harkins also scored for the Cougars. Kyle Olson was the only American to score on Ty Edmonds, who made 29 saves to improve his record to 30-16-1-0. The Cougars outshot the Americans 48-30.

Leading 2-1, the Cougars scored three unanswered goals in the second period to take a stranglehold. Gabrielle collected his second power-play goal of the game with a long shot from the right point two minutes into the middle frame. Cougars captain Ruopp made it a 4-1 count with a long wrist shot from the point which spelled the end of the night for Americans goalie Rylan Parenteau, who allowed four goals on 23 shots when he given a spot on the bench, 6:32 into the second.

Evan Sarthou took over in the Tri-City crease and was welcomed into the game 9:33 into the period by Bondra, who popped in his 32nd goal of the season from the side of the net.

In the first period, Gabrielle opened the scoring 4:06 in, on a Cats' power play. Olson tied it for the Americans at the 6:28 mark, but just 11 seconds later, Bethune scored to put the Cougars ahead 2-1.

The Cougars went 3-for-3 on the power play. Harkins connected for the Cougars' third power-play goal of the night, 14:42 into the third period to cap the scoring.

The Cougars (43-21-3-2) did not get any help Friday from their opponents chasing them in the B.C. Division standings. In Kelowna, the second-place Rockets (42-21-5-0) remained two points behind the Cougars after spanking the Vancouver Giants 8-1, while in Kamloops, the Blazers (40-23-2-4) beat Victoria 6-2 to remain five points back of the Cougars. Kelowna has one game in hand over the Cougars and Blazers, who are down to their last three in the regular season.

The Cougars play the Chiefs tonight in Spokane, then came back for a home-and-home series with the Blazers next weekend.