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Cougars-Winterhawks back on ice tonight

Momentum is such a huge thing in sports. The Cougars seemed to have it going for them in a big way while they were up 2-0 and came close to making it a three-goal lead just past the 12-minute mark of their game Thursday in Portland.
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Prince George Cougars forward Jared Bethune uses his body to protect the puck from Henri Jokiharu of the Portland Winterhawks during Game 2 on March 26 at CN Centre.

Momentum is such a huge thing in sports.

The Cougars seemed to have it going for them in a big way while they were up 2-0 and came close to making it a three-goal lead just past the 12-minute mark of their game Thursday in Portland.

But give those Portland Winterhawks credit. They tipped the pendulum the other way and ended up beating the Cougars 5-4 to tie the best-of-seven WHL Western Conference quarterfinal series 2-2 heading into Game 5 tonight at CN Centre (7 p.m. start).

Game 4 was a bit of roller-coaster ride. Following the lead of defenceman Caleb Jones and his four assists, the 'Hawks settled down in their own end and by the end of the first period the game was tied. Their attention to detail on defence cut some slack for their shell-shocked goaltender, Cole Kehler, who had allowed 11 goals in the previous two games, neither of which he'd been allowed to finish.

By the end of the first period the Hawks had the game tied, and they cranked in another one on the power play in the second period to take the lead. But by the second-period break the Cougars' European connection - Nikita Popugaev and Radovan Bondra - had them back in the lead.

That is until Matt Revel got in the scoring act - sending the Portland crowd of 4,491 into a frenzy. The Portland centre took advantage of a couple of failed clearing attempts by the Cougars to pop in a rebound for the tying goal, then with 4 1/2 minutes left he got his stick on former Cougar defenceman Shaun Dosanjh's point shot for the gamewinner.

After an opening 4-2 loss at CN Centre Friday, the Cougars won Game 2 by a 5-1 count. Now it's a clean slate for both teams and a best-of-three series to nail down who moves on to Round 2 of the playoffs.

"Again, we played 20 minutes out of a 60-minute hockey game and come playoff time that's not going to get it done," said Cougars head coach Richard Matvichuk. "When we play 60 minutes of hockey we've proven to ourselves and we've proven to everyone else we're tough to beat. But if we only show up and play a quarter of the game it's not going to work."

Inconsistency has plagued the Cougars since the Christmas break and Matvichuk is still looking for the answer.

"It's not about the opposition we're playing," he said. "This is something we've been dealing with for a long time and the good thing is they usually rebound. When we play the way we should we're hard to beat. At times we've got to remember these are still kids and they're still growing into their own. Some of them are going to be turning pro and it's just a matter of keeping them focused and ready to go."

The Winterhawks' power play went 2-for-4 Thursday, accounting for their second and third goals, while the Cougars were 1-for-3. Matvichuk has been preaching discipline for his team but they haven't exactly been following orders.

"We've taken 35 minors in four hockey games and that's not acceptable," said Matvichuk. "Our guys have to play on that edge but also stay within the rules when they're doing it."

Cougars centre Jansen Harkins, who had a goal and four assists in the Cougars' 6-1 win in Game 3 Wednesday, was held off the scoresheet in Game 4. Playing on a line with Bondra and Colby McAuley, Harkins his team has to find a way to keep the pressure on and not let up and he's looking forward to having a big Cougar crowd behind the team tonight to inspire a better effort than what they showed Thursday.

"I think we were a bit afraid to play at times, afraid to lose and not going in and not going in and attacking as much as we should," Harkins said. "You can't wait for anything to come to you, you have to push for it or else it's going to come and get you. We have to keep our foot on the pedal when we're up and push for bigger leads, like we did in the other two games.

"It's going to be hard physical games and you're going to have to take some bumps and bruises if you want to go far and that's fine by me. We're definitely ready for it. It's a mini-series now and this is what you play for, tight games and competitive. It's been really fun so far and hopefully we can get the job done and move on."

Revel, Dosanjh and Keegan Iverson are the three overagers on a very young Portland roster.

Revel, a castoff 20-year-old with five WHL seasons under his belt, was picked up at the roster deadline. An injury limited him to just 11 games for Portland but since his return to action in late-February he's proved a worthy addition. The native of Abbotsford is loving his new lease on life in the playoffs as one of the 'Hawks big brothers.

"Portland has always been good and always been fast, which is a style that fits my game," Revel told Scott Sepich of The Oregonian. "(Winterhawks head coach) Mike Johnston has instilled a lot of confidence in me coming back from injury.

"We talked about getting to the net more tonight, so it was in the back of my mind when the puck went to the point that I needed to get to the front. Shaun made a great shot that came to my backhand and I was able to direct it in. From there it's history I guess."

Both of Revel's goals came while he was standing in close vicinity to Cougars goalie Ty Edmonds, and that's the kind of production Johnston would like to see more often from his team the rest of the series.

A couple Cougars got banged up in Thursday's game. Sam Ruopp took a head shot against the glass in the corner in the second period and halfway through the game Brad Morrison suffered a lower-body injury not related to the sprained ankle that forced him out of the last nine games of the season. He sat on the bench the rest of the game as a precautionary measure but Matvichuk says both players will be ready to tonight.

The series will go back to Portland for Game 6 on Monday. If a seventh game is required, it'll be at CN Centre on Wednesday.