Take a deep breath Prince George Cougar fans, you've got a playoff team to support.
For the first time in four years, the Cougars have booked themselves a berth in the Western Hockey League playoffs and significantly dimmed the postseason hopes of the Kamloops Blazers after a 3-1 win over the Blazers Friday night at CN Centre.
Their victory, in front of 4,570 spectators on fan appreciation night, gave the Cougars a lock on third place in the B.C. Division, which means they will open the playoffs Friday in Victoria to start a best-of-seven opening round series against the second-place Royals.
The Cats needed just one point to clinch second but with David Soltes, Kody McDonald and Colby McAuley spicing the offence and Ty Edmonds protecting the fort in net, they made sure 60 minutes was enough and overtime would not be required.
The win left the Cougars (31-35-2-3) six points ahead of the Blazers (27-37-4-3). The teams will finish off the regular season against each other tonight in Kamloops.
Soltes opened the scoring with his third goal in four games, two minutes into the second period. He was ideally positioned in front of the Kamloops net as Jari Erricson swung his stick to centre the puck off the end boards.
The puck skipped off a Blazer and it was an easy tap-in for Soltes, the 13th of the season for the 19-year-old Slovakian.
McDonald made it 2-0 just 35 seconds into the third period, whacking in a backhanded pass into the deep slot from linemate Tyler Mrkonjic.
It was McDonald's ninth goal this season. The Cougars are a remarkable 9-0 in games in which McDonald scores.
The Blazers made it a one-goal deficit 8:22 into the third.
Matt Needham won the face-off in the Cougar end and the puck went back to Cole Ully, who snapped it in high over Edmonds' shoulder.
That gave the desperate Blazers a spark in their fight to keep their season alive, but with Edmonds on his way to collecting first-star honours with a 36-save performance, the Cougars defence didn't bend to the pressure.
The McDonald, Mrkonjic, McAuley line stormed the Blazer net with three quality shots within seconds of each other with two minutes left and not long after that, McAuley broke away on a lone rush and ripped a shot that bulged the net and popped right out.
After a conference of the officials, referee Brett Iverson pointed at the net to signal a goal, which was confirmed on the video replay.
Both teams had their chances in a scoreless first period.
The Cougars were granted three power-play opportunities but were unable to take advantage. Connor Ingram made sure of that, standing tall in the Blazers' net to rob Zach Pochiro and Jansen Harkins.
At the other end, Edmonds had to be sharp to deny a shorthanded chance from Matt Revel near the end of the period.
Edmonds made an even better stop on Revel 15 minutes into the second period. The Kamloops winger stripped the puck from Kirk Bear, skated in alone and let go a wrist shot but Edmonds anticipated it and kicked out his leg just in time to make the save.
Shots ended up 41-37 Cougars.
The Blazers got no help from the Portland Winterhawks, who lost 4-2 to the Tri-City Americans Friday in Kennewick, Wash.
With that win, the Americans moved within a point of clinching the final Western Conference wild-card playoff spot.
They are two points ahead of Kamloops and have two games remaining.
LOOSE PUCKS: The same teams meet tonight in Kamloops to wrap up the regular season. Game time is 7 p.m. (94.3 FM, The Goat). The Cougars lead the season series against Kamloops 5-2... During the second intermission the Cougars gave away a 2015 Nissan Micra compact car sponsored by Northland Nissan to Helen and Michael McMillan. Fans who purchased season tickets of multi-game packages were eligible for the draw.
