A night after misplacing their four-leaf clover the Kamloops Blazers found it much to the dismay of the Prince George Cougars.
The Cougars (7-7-1-1) were unable to solve Blazers netminder Cole Cheveldave and had to settle for leaving the Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops with only one point after a 2-1 shootout loss to the Blazers (16-1-0-2). Despite the loss, the Cougars matched the intensity of the top team in both Canada and the Western Hockey League.
For the Blazers the win starts a new streak a night after they suffered their first regulation loss of the season, 3-0 to the Kelowna Rockets, which also ended their 14-game win streak.
The point the Cougars earned moved them within two points of the Victoria Royals (9-7) in the B.C. division and within four of the idle Rockets (9-6-1-1). The Royals lost 6-2 in Portland.
Cheveldave had never lost to the Cougars in his two seasons with the Blazers.
In the shootout, Cheveldave stoned Zach Pochiro and Colin Jacobs, while Cougars goaltender Mac Engel was unable to keep Brendan Ranford and Cole Ully from scoring.
On the radio broadcast Cougars post-game show Prince George head coach Dean Clark said the team did a good job defensively keeping the WHL's top three scorers JC Lipon, Colin Smith and Tim Bozon off the scoreboard.
"I thought we did a good job of frustrating a team that's very good in the neutral zone," said Clark.
It was an evenly played first period despite the fact the Blazers held a 9-4 edge on the shot clock in a scoreless first period. Most of the Blazers shots came on a late power play. Both teams were 0-for-1 with the man advantage.
The Cougars opened the scoring on Marc McNulty's fourth goal of the season 75 seconds into the second frame and held the 1-0 advantage through 40 minutes, killing off a pair of overlapping minor penalties that saw the Blazers hold a two-man advantage for 22 seconds. Prince George out shot the Kamloops side 9-6 in the period. McNulty has a three-game goal scoring streak.
But the Blazers knotted the game up at 1-1 early in the third period on a controversial goal. Matt Needham scored his fourth goal of the season, beating Cougars' goaltender Engel when many eyes in the building were on fallen Cats' defenceman Dan Gibb. The Blazers' goal resulted when of 20-year-old Blazers forward Dylan Willick knocked Gibb to the ice.
"We kind of stopped playing there and they were able to get two guys in front of the net," said Clark.
The Blazers out shot the Cougars 23-22 through regulation time.
Blazers' goaltender Cheveldave was tested with more difficult shots by the Cougars then his teammates fired at Engel.
Despite out shooting the Blazers 5-1 in overtime, the Cougars couldn't beat Cheveldave and were unable to capitalize on a two minute power player during the five minutes of extra time when WHL leading scorer JC Lipon (40 points) was sent to the Blazers' penalty box.
The Cougars best chance in overtime came when McNulty went in on a two-on-one with Zach Pochiro. Cheveldave made the save off McNulty but Pochiro's rebound was blocked.
Former Cariboo Cougar Josh Connolly was scratched from the Blazers' lineup while the Cougars sat defencemen Tanner Lishchynsky, Michael Mylchreest (upper-body injury) and forwards Jake Mykitiuk and Brett Roulston.
The Cougars continue their road trip tonight, 7:05 p.m., when they play the Kelowna Rockets (9-6-1-1). It'll be the fourth meeting between the B.C. division rivals this season with the Cougars looking to get back on even terms having dropped the last two games and are 1-2 versus the Rockets this season.
WHL trade: The basement dwelling Vancouver Giants (4-11) traded 19-year-old Nathan Burns to the 2013 Memorial Cup host Saskatoon Blades (6-9) for fourth-line 18-year-old centre Travis McEvoy and two bantam draft picks, including a first rounder in 2014.
