McKenzie or MacKenzie?
No matter how you spell it, they were trouble for the Prince George Cougars.
Portland Winterhawks forwards Skyler McKenzie and Lukus MacKenzie scored three unanswered goals in the second period to provide the degree of separation the Winterhawks needed to gain the upper hand.
McKenzie had himself a four-point night with three goals and one assist as the visiting Hawks went on to win 7-1, beating the Cougars on back-to-back nights at CN Centre in front of a crowd of 2,596.
It was no secret what McKenzie brings to the rink as Portland's top-line right winger and leading goal-scorer. The Cougars held McKenzie and his linemates Cody Glass and Kieffer Bellows to just one goal and two points Tuesday in their 4-3 loss to Portland.
But the big line was at its opportunistic best in the rematch, converting turnovers into goals and they collectively struck for eight points.
McKenzie scored his 43rd of the season from a sharp angle to put the Hawks up 2-1 10:33 into the second period and added to the count three minutes later while shorthanded, finishing off a 3-on-2 break by tapping in a blade-to-blade feed from Glass, the Vegas Golden Knights first-rounder, who finished with three assists.
MacKenzie's goal came with just one second left in the second period. The 18-year-old from Calgary avoided goalie Taylor Gauthier's poke check and with Cougars defencemen Cole Moberg and Rhett Rhinehart closing in on him he put his stick between his own legs and flipped the puck high into the net behind Gauthier.
Down 4-1, the Cougars' intensity trailed off noticeably in the third period. Bellows scored four minutes into the third, the 39th of the season for the 19-year-old son of former NHL forward Brian Bellows.
Isaiah DiLaura came in to replace Gauthier at that point with the Hawks ahead 6-1 and was under siege right away, making nine saves in five minutes of game action. McKenzie completed the hat trick with a puck that deflected in off his skate blade.
The Cougars got off to a great start, scoring 2:32 into the game, and it was former Winterhawks prospect Connor Bowie who did the deed, scoring his first career WHL goal in his seventh game for the Cats since getting called up from his double-A midget team in Fort St. John.
Bowie snapped in a goalmouth pass from linemate Reid Perepeluk that slipped past Portland defenceman Dennis Cholowski. Perepeluk, in his second stint with the Cougars this season, set up the play with a thundering bodycheck on Brendan De Jong to create the turnover in the Portland end.
But the lead did not last long. Portland defenceman Henri Jokiharju, a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017, launched a rocket of a wrist shot from the high slot and beat Gauthier high to the blocker side.
The loss was the third straight for the Cougars (23-36-4-4), who wrapped up a six-game homestand. Portland (42-20-1-4) moved to within four points of the Everett Silvertips for first place in the WHL's U.S. Division.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Cougars hit the road for games in Victoria Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Then they will play Wednesday in Kelowna and Friday in Kamloops before heading home for the season-ender Saturday against the Kamloops Blazers... Perepeluk, 17, a native of Yorkton, Sask., moved to Prince George with his parents two years ago and played in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League with the Cariboo Cougars. He started this season with the WHL Cougars and played four games in September/October before he joined the junior B Kamloops Storm of the KIJHL. In 24 games with the Storm he had eight goals and 18 assists and was the MVP with two goals in the KIJHL Top Prospects game... Cougars rookie Ethan Browne scored his first career WHL in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Portland. His unassisted effort tied the game late in the second period and he also drew an assist in the third period... The Cougars will host their fourth annual awards banquet on Sunday, March 18 at the Civic Centre. Tickets are $40 (adult) and $25 (under 18).
