After back-to-back wins, the Prince George Cougars were running a temperature. Certainly no cause for concern there for a team that won just 12 times all of last season.
Well, the win streak is now up to three, and it's developing into a full-blown fever.
The Cougars put the heat to the Brandon Wheat Kings and came out Wednesday with a 5-3 victory.
After a last-overall Western Hockey League finish in 2009-10, the Cougars now find themselves fighting the Vancouver Giants for first place in the West Division. Wednesday's win improved the Cats' season record to 6-4-1-0. The win was also the 400th in the WHL career of Cougar head coach Dean Clark.
Cougars captain Brett Connolly set the tone with a pair of goals, his team-leading 10th and 11th of the season. Connolly took a pass from Martin Marincin 14:56 into the second period to give the Cougars a 4-2 lead, and that stood up as the game-winner. It came just 35 seconds after Greg Fraser notched his first goal of the season with a picturesque deke on Wheat Kings defenceman Ryan Pulock.
The Cougars withstood a two-man Brandon power play that lasted nearly a minute early in the third period, thanks to the efforts of goalie James Priestner. Making his eighth consecutive start, the former Wheat King made three key saves on the penalty kill to keep the Cougars ahead, after Dominick Favreau made it a 4-3 game with a tip-in late in the second period.
Cats' rookie left-winger Troy Bourke continued to impress with his offensive touch and combined with Sena Acolatse and linemate Nick Buonassisi to provide the insurance goal 14:05 into the third period.
Through 11 games, the Cougars have averaged nearly five goals per game, tops in the WHL, and it didn't take long for them to strike. Connolly's one-timer found the net behind Liam Liston just 4:24 into the game. That stretched Connolly's goal streak to six, longest in the WHL.
Brenden Walker and Paul Ciareli each scored in the first period to put Brandon ahead. James Dobrowolski brought the Cougars back on even terms 9:57 into the second period, taking a nifty pass from the 16-year-old Bourke.
The Wheat Kings, who lost to Windsor in the Memorial Cup final last season, dropped to 4-7-0-0.
The Cougars play host the Tri-City Americans Friday and Saturday at CN Centre.
