In a battle of two desperate teams in the Western Hockey League, the Prince George Cougars got what they wanted.
A win.
They beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-2 in front of a sparse crowd of 1,398 Tuesday night at the CN Centre in their only meeting of the season.
Tied at 2-2 with two minutes left in the second period, Jordan Tkatch scored the eventual winner for the Cougars when he slid the puck past Hurricanes netminder Jonny Hogue. It was on a give-and-go play up the ice with Troy Bourke.
Brett Roulston and Mark McNulty (a power play goal) added insurance markers for Prince George in the third period to ensure the Cougars' win.
The Cougars improve to 18-24-2-5 and now trail the Tri-City Americans by five points for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Hurricanes remain dead-last in the 22-team WHL at 9-35-2-3.
Prince George outshot Lethbridge 44-26. Adam Beukeboom picked up his second win of the season, while it was Hogue's fifth loss.
Trailing 2-1 in the second period, Hurricanes forward Taylor Cooper evened the game as he slid the puck past the post behind Beukeboom.
Bourke scored on wrist shot from top of the slot to beat Hogue on the high glove side at the 13:36 mark.
Lethbridge opened the scoring in the first period on the power play at the 3:37 mark with a goal from Bryton Sayers and assists by Riley Sheen and Brady Ramsay.
Cougars responded three minutes later when Tyler Mrkonjic fired a wrist shot from the right of the crease to beat Hogue.
The Cougars now leave for Regina today for a six-game road trip through Saskatchewan and Manitoba to battle the East Division teams in the Eastern Conference.
