Special teams led to a special night for the Prince George Cougars.
In a Friday Western Hockey League game at CN Centre, the Cats went 4-for-9 on the power play and also scored a shorthanded goal in a 6-3 win against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
The Cougars were ahead 3-1 after the first period and 3-2 after the second. The Cats broke free of the Oil Kings by scoring three consecutive power-play goals in the third period, the markers by James Dobrowolski, Sena Acolatse and Brett Connolly. Michael St. Croix -- with his second power-play marker of the contest -- rounded out the scoring.
In the first period, the Cats struck first, a shorthanded tally by Nick Buonassisi. Troy Bourke followed up with a power-play goal and Brock Hirsche gave the home side a 3-0 advantage before the game was nine minutes old. St. Croix cut the P.G. lead to 3-1 before the first intermission.
Klarc Wilson of the Oil Kings had the only goal of the second period.
The Oil Kings outshot the Cougars 41-39 but Ty Rimmer was excellent between the pipes for Prince George. He now has a 4-2 record this season.
Laurent Brossoit started the game for the Oil Kings but was replaced by newly-acquired Jon Groenheyde after the third Cougars goal.
The Cats improved to 10-7-1-0 on the season and the Oil Kings dropped to 5-10-0-1.
The teams will meet again tonight at CN Centre. The puck will drop at 7.
