A sloppy effort led to the Prince George Cougars fifth straight loss.
The Cougars (5-6-1) rebounded from a two-goal deficit but wound up on the losing end of a 3-2 game Saturday in Spokane against a defensive-minded Chiefs (8-3) squad.
Mac Engel received the start in the Cats' net against his former team and was stellar facing 38 shots as the Chiefs out shot the Cougars 38-16. The Cougars only fired one shot in the first period at the Chiefs' goalie, Garret Hughson, who was playing in his first Western Hockey League game.
McBride's Dylan Walchuk potted the winner for the Chiefs with 24 seconds left in regulation time when he was able to push the puck behind Engel during a scramble in the crease.
The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission on power play goals from Mike Aviani and Tyler King. It was the seventh consecutive period the Cougars played without a goal.
It took until the 14:37 mark of the second period, but the Cougars finally snapped their goal-less drought with a pair of power-play markers of their own. Colin Jacobs pulled the Cats to within one with his eighth goal of the season before Jari Erricson tied the game at 2-2 with his third of the season.
In the third period, the Chiefs played a defensive game waiting for their chance.
The boos of the announced crowd of 7,713 at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in the middle frame when the home team took four consecutive minor penalties turned to cheers when Walchuk scored his second goal of the season.
The Cougars have a three-game home stand to try and snap their losing skid, beginning with a doubleheader against the Chiefs, Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 p.m., at CN Centre, before the Brandon Wheat Kings (6-5-1) make their only trek to Prince George this season, Saturday, 7 p.m.
