LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -- The Prince George Cougars pounced on an unprepared Lethbridge Hurricanes team in a 7-2 victory Friday at the Enmax Centre.
The Hurricanes seemed to be caught unawares by the presence of another team on the ice, and fell to 18-27-3-8, still two points back of the Prince Albert Raiders and Swift Current Broncos in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
"We didn't have enough guys prepared to compete hard to win in our own building," said Hurricanes head coach and general manager Rich Preston. "Simple as that."
Preston's team finished a sloppy first period down 3-1 as Cam Braes replied to Nick Buonassisi's opener before Brett Connolly scored two goals in 12 seconds with less than five minutes to play in the period.
"In the second period, we must have had 10 great scoring chances," said Preston. "We've got to bare down and put them away. That always comes back to haunt you."
Ty Rimmer was spectacular at times in making 31 saves in the Cougar nets. His team was outshot 14-5 in the middle frame but they outscored the 'Canes 3-2.
The Hurricanes opened the second struggling to even clear their own zone but once the team settled, Neil Tarnasky found Jacob Berglund with a perfect stretch pass behind the Cougars' defence and Berglund scored his 12th of the season with a five-hole slider through the pads of Rimmer.
Midway through the second, Charles Inglis broke down goalie Brandon Anderson with a pair of nifty dekes, but the 'Canes netminder stayed with it and stretched out his left pad to stone the Cougar's backhanded shot.
It didn't matter, however, as James Dobrowolski shot down the right wing and scored to make it 4-2 seconds later. Inglis scored shortly before the second period ended, and added another in the third. Taylor Stefishen also scored.
The win puts the Cougars at 27-25-2-1, solidly in a playoff spot.
Brock Hirsche, who played defence for the Cougars Friday but plies his trade as a forward, is enjoying the year in Prince George.
"I got off to a little bit of a slow start -- obviously, our team's doing better than it did last year. It's been fun."
The Cougars finish off their five-game roadtrip with games tonight in Calgary and Sunday in Red Deer.
