A functioning power play can do many things. One of them is to bring a five-game losing streak to an end.
The Prince George Cougars connected on their first three man-advantage chances on Tuesday night and rode the wave to a 6-0 win over the visiting Swift Current Broncos.
The Cougars accomplished the feat against a team that came into the game leading the WHL in penalty-killing efficiency.
Charles Inglis and Greg Fraser converted power-play chances in the first period, and import defenceman Martin Marincin made it 3-0 for the Cougars when he scored his 10th of the season 38 seconds into the second period.
Spencer Asuchak increased the lead to 4-0, the first non-power-play goal for the Cats, later in the second period. Inglis added his second of the game, also his third point, in the third period, and Taylor Stefishen completed the scoring.
Ty Rimmer got the call in goal for the Cats, who needed a solid outing from a goaltender since that position was under scrutiny during the losing streak. Rimmer stopped 37 shots for his second shutout of the season and the team's first goose egg on home ice.
Veteran workhorse Mark Friesen started in goal for the Broncos but was lifted for Austin Smith after Marincin's goal. Friesen allowed three goals on 16 shots.
Standings-wise, the Cougars improved to 16-14-2-1 and are back in a tie with the Vancouver Giants for top spot in the ultra-tight B.C. Division. The Giants have a game in hand. Just three points separate the five teams in the division.
In the area of players missing due to national junior team tryout commitments, Tuesday's game was a fair fight. The Cougars were without top forward Brett Connolly, while the Broncos skated without sniper Cody Eakin, who was named WHL player-of-the-week on Monday.
The Broncos completed their B.C. Division tour with a 3-2 record, hitting the midway point in an 11-game road swing.
The Cougars, who opened a Christmas-interrupted eight-game homestand on Tuesday, play host to the Kamloops Blazers on Friday and Saturday night, the latter being the annual Teddy Bear Toss event. After the Christmas break, the Cougars will welcome Ryan Howse and the Chilliwack Bruins to CN Centre (Dec. 28-29).
KITTY LITTER: Cougars D Daniel Gibb, a local minor hockey product, played his 100th WHL game on Tuesday... Marincin and defence partner Sena Acolatse sit first and second respectively in both assists and points among WHL defencemen... The Broncos fell to 19-18-0-0, a record that has them sitting third in the six-team East Division... The win lifted the Cougars to 7-7-1-1 on home ice... Announced attendance was 1,535, more than 100 fewer spectators than appeared a week earlier for a game against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. That night, the figure of 1,663 figured as the lowest home crowd for a Cougars game in Prince George... After being released by Team Canada early Tuesday morning, Prince George minor hockey product Ryan Howse met up with his Chilliwack Bruins teammates and played in a 3-2 loss in Calgary. Howse was kept off the scoresheet.
