Team Pacific is a semifinalist at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and two Prince George Cougar forwards played large roles in helping their team cinch that berth.
Prince George-born Brad Morrison scored once and added an assist and his Cougar teammate Jansen Harkins set up two goals in a 3-1 Pacific win Thursday over Sweden in North Sydney, N.S.
Morrison's goal, his third of the tournament, came 5:05 into the second period and it got Pacific on the scoreboard after Filip Ahl had opened the scoring for Sweden earlier in the period.
Adam Musil and Glen Gawdin added third-period goals to keep Team Pacific's title hopes alive at the 10-team tournament. Pacific outshot Sweden 42-26.
Pacific (3-1-0) won Group A and will play its semifinal playoff tonight in North Sydney.
Harkins, the second-overall pick in the 2012 WHL bantam draft and captain of the Pacific squad, picked up one assist in a 4-1 victory Wednesday over the Czech Republic. He now has five assists in four tournament games. Morrison, picked seventh overall by the Cougars in 2012, also has three goals and five points in the tournament.
Earlier Thursday, Team West and Cougars defenceman Tate Olson lost 4-1 to Quebec. Coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Sweden on Wednesday, West finished last in the Group A standings with a 1-3-0 record. In other games Thursday, the U.S. defeated Ontario 6-2 to improve to 4-0-0 and clinch first in Group B.
The final is set for Saturday at noon PDT.
