Brendan Ranford had four points and the Kamloops Blazers won their third straight over the Prince George Cougars 6-1 on Saturday night.
Ranford gave the visitors to CN Centre a 2-0 advantage early in the first period scoring a power-play goal and then sneaking the puck past Drew Owsley on a breakaway. Cougars defenceman Martin Marincin found the twine on a power play to cut the Blazers' lead to 2-1, but it was all Kamloops from there.
Tim Bozon and Bronson Maschmeyer gave the Blazers a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Maschmeyer extended the visitors lead to 5-1 only 12 seconds into the final period, which brought Devon Fordyce in to finish the game in the Cougars' net.
Cole Cheveldave earned his third straight win over the Cougars in 2012, stopping 15 shots. Owsley made 25 saves while Fordyce stopped 10.
The announced attendance in Prince George was 1,854.
The loss is the Cougars' fourth straight.
CAT SCRATCHES: Alex Forsberg missed both games on the weekend with an upper body injury, which occurred during his stint with Team West at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ont. Before the holiday break the 16 year old led the Cougars in goals (11), power-play points (12) and multipoint games (seven) and had played in all 35 games accumulating 26 points. The Cats head to Vancouver for their final regular-season game with the Giants on Tuesday and are back home for a doubleheader Friday and Saturday with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Kamloops Blazers 6 Prince George Cougars 1
1st period:
1. Kamloops Brendan Ranford 20 (Herrod, Schaber) 4:37 pp
2. Kamloops Brendan Ranford 21 (Madaisky) 10:38
Penalties: Carlson PG (roughing) 3:28; Hrbas KAM (boarding) 11:55; Lipton KAM (fighting major), J. Forsberg PG (fighting major) 13:39; Bozon KAM (boarding) 19:06.
2nd period:
3. Prince George Martin Marincin 4 (Bourke, Carlson) :32 pp
4. Kamloops Tim Bozon 20 (Madaisky, Cross) 15:52
5. Kamloops Bronson Maschmeyer 6 (Ranford, Herrod) 19:23 pp
Penalties: Carlson PG (tripping) 3:47; Smith PG (interference) 19:08.
3rd period:
6. Kamloops Bronson Maschmeyer 7 (Herrod, Ranford) :12
7. Kamloops Matt Needham 8 (Willick, Bell) 16:08 pp
Penalties: Springer PG (cross checking) 6:36; Jackson PG (hooking) 9:52; Hrbas KAM (unsportsmanlike-diving), Asuchak PG (holding) 11:22; Springer PG (slashing) 15:42.
Shots:
Kamloops 14 15 12 41
Prince George 5 7 4 16
Goaltenders: Kamloops Cole Cheveldave (W 20-5-1-2)Prince George Drew Owsley (30-25; Devon Fordyce :12 of third period: 11-10)
Power plays: Kamloops 3/7 Prince George 1/2
Referees: Chris Crich, Brett Iverson; Linesmen: Korey Martens, Chris Sweeting
Attendance: 1,854
