Two teams at opposite ends of the WHL points spectrum met Friday on CN Centre ice and the results were all too predictable for the Prince George Cougars' liking.
The Kamloops Blazers brought their first-place strut north to face the last-place Cougars and flashed their colours in proud-peacock fashion, leaving with a 5-1 victory.
The Cougars third-period penalty troubles cost them a chance at keeping pace in what had been a close game. Colin Smith and Tim Bozon each collected power-play markers in the third period and Brendan Ranford added to the Cougars' misery with a shorthanded goal late in the game.
The win solidified the Blazers' hold on top spot in the B.C. Division as they improved to 12-4-0-0.
The Cougars dropped to 4-12-0-1, but through two periods at least, they weren't nearly as bad as their record states.
The Cats came into the game having scored just 33 goals in 16 games, second-worst in WHL and dealt the Blazers a new wrinkle, switching Troy Bourke, a 42-point rookie last season, to centre from his usual spot on right wing.
Bourke hasn't played pivot since his bantam days in Alberta, but looked quite comfortable feeding linemates Spencer Asuchak and Alex Forsberg, and that line set the tone in the early going, generating at least three quality red-zone chances that goalie Cole Cheveldave was able to snuff.
The Cougars cracked the safe first, 6:41 into the game, tapping an unlikely source - defenceman Reid Jackson. Jackson, 19, who joined the Cougars as a result of a trade with Lethbridge seven games into the season, got knocked to his knees from behind by JT Barnett but still managed to unload a low snap shot that snuck in under Cheveldave's glove. It was Jackson's eighth goal in 116 career WHL games.
A 2-on-1 conversion by the Blazers, 1:30 into the second period, evened the score. Using JC Lipon as a decoy, Bozon used a toe-drag move to fool Forsberg, the sliding Cougars defenceman, and Bozon finished with a high-stratosphere shot past Drew Owsley.
A strange turn of events put the Blazers ahead late in the period.
What started with a simple shoot-in from Kamloops defenceman Mark Hrbas turned to disaster for the Cougars when the puck hit a rut in the end boards just as Owsley left his crease to try and stop it. Instead, it slid through the crease off the inside of the far post, right out into the slot for a waiting Ranford, who had a open cage to shoot at.
That was a backbreaker for the Cougars.
The Blazers followed up with three goals in the third period, including Bozon's weird knuckler from the face-off circle after the shot was partially blocked by
Austin Daae.
KITTY LITTER: This was the third of 10 meetings this season between the two B.C. Division rivals. The Cats won the opener 1-0 and the Blazers took the rematch 3-0. Both of those games were in Kamloops. The same teams meet again tonight (7 p.m.) at CN Centre ... Cougar left winger Brock Hirsche played his first game since going down with a separated shoulder 12 seconds into the second game of the season, Sept. 30 against Victoria. D Daniel Gibb was also back in the Prince George lineup Friday. He missed two games after a stick in the mouth broke four of his teeth two weeks ago in Vancouver. Edmonton Oilers draft pick Martin Marincin returns to Cougar blueline tonight after serving a four-game suspension ... P.G. product Brett Bulmer of the Kelowna Rockets was added to the roster of Team WHL for the Subway Super Series game in Regina against Russia
Nov. 16.
Friday WHL summary from Prince George
Blazers 5 at Cougars 1
First Period
1. Prince George, Jackson 1 (Elynuik, Belter) 6:41
Penalties -- Hanes Kam (fighting), Belter PG (fighting) 8:02.
Second Period
2. Kamloops, Bozon 4 (Lipon, Smith) 1:30
3. Kamloops, Ranford 10 (Hrbas) 15:38
Penalties -- Caron Kam (fighting), Elynuik PG (fighting, misconduct) 7:30, Souto Kam (interference) 8:18, Smith PG (cross-checking) 12;07, J.Forsberg PG (high-sticking) 16:18, Jackson PG (delay of game) 18:32.
Third Period
4. Kamloops, Smith 10 (Maschemeyer, Lipon) 3:47 (pp)
5. Kamloops, Bozon 5 (Needham, Maschemeyer) 9:13 (pp)
6. Kamloops, Ranford 1, 10:07 (sh)
Penalties -- Jackson PG (tripping) 2:46, Bourke PG (tripping) 8:20, Hansen Kam (delay of game) 9:52, Cross Kam (tripping) 11:55, Souto Kam (hooking) 17:43, Lipon Kam (slashing, fighting), J.Forsberg PG (cross-checking, fighting) 18:33.
Shots on goal by
Kamloops 10 17 7 --34
Prince George 11 18 7 --36
Goal -- Kamloops, Cheveldave (W,6-1-0); Prince George, Owsley (L,4-10-1).
Power plays (chances-goals) -- Kamloops: 2-5; Prince George: 0-4.
Referees -- Matt Thurston, Derek Zalaski; Linesmen: Adam Hyatt, Chris Carlson.
Attendance -- 2,075
