The Prince George Cougars had the lead with 40 seconds left Saturday in Saskatoon.
What happened next, one-tenth of a second later, ended up costing them a point.
With Cougars defenceman Joel Lakusta in the penalty box, Saskatoon Blades forward Max Gerlach got to a loose puck in the crease and slid it into the net behind Cougars’ goalie Isaiah DiLaura for the tying goal with 39.9 seconds left.
Both teams had their chances in overtime, including DiLaura’s pad-stacker to rob Jake Kustra with about a minute left in overtime. It took six rounds of a shootout to decide the game. Josh Paterson scored on DiLaura to give the Blades a 2-1 shootout edge and Tyler Brown made the next save on Josh Maser to lock up a 4-3 victory for the Blades.
The Blades improved to 25-23-2-1, while the Cougars dropped to 18-24-4-4.
The Blades had a goal with 56 seconds left in regulation time called back when a shot from Evan Fiala was knocked in with a high stick.
Brown made 36 saves to earn his first win for the Blades since being acquired in a deadline trade from Regina. The Cougars outshot the Blades 39-38.
The Cougars went ahead 3-2 with 53 seconds gone in the third period with an unassisted goal from llijah Colina. Colina carried the puck up the left wing and spun a backhander in off the stick of Brown.
Paterson and Braylon Shmyr also scored for Saskatoon. Lakusta and Ryan Schoettler were the other Cougars goalscorers. The Blades led 1-0 after one period and the teams were tied 2-2 after two. In the shootout, Kirby Dach of the Blades and Colina for the Cougars also scored.
LOOSE PUCKS: Don Hay became the winningest coach in WHL history Saturday in Kamloops after his Blazers beat Portland 4-2. It was the 743rd win of Hay’s 18-season WHL career, breaking the mark of 742 set by Ken Hodge with the Edmonton Oil Kings/Portland Winterhawks… Cougars centre Brogan O’Brien played his second game Saturday since returning from a knee injury the 20-year-old suffered Dec. 10 in a game at CN Centre against Victoria. He centred a line with Vladislav Mikhalchuk and Jackson Leppard… The Cougars’ six game road trip resumes tonight in Swift Current. The Cats also play in Regina on Wednesday, Brandon on Friday and Moose Jaw on Saturday.
