The Vancouver Giants scored early and often and that made for a troubling night Friday for the visiting Prince George Cougars.
They found a way to make it close but ended up losing 6-5 to the Giants to start their weekend roadtrip.
Vancouver scored four unanswered goals in a five-minute span to take a 5-2 lead and chase out Cougars' starting goalie Ty Edmonds, who was yanked after allowing five goals on just 14 shots. In came 20-year-old goalie Adam Beukeboom, acquired Thursday from the Giants in a trade for a seventh-round pick in 2016. Beukeboom had been playing with the Drumheller Dragons of the AJHL and came into the game 12:25 into the first period for his first WHL action in nearly two seasons, dating back to his time with the Regina Pats.
That seemed to inspire new life in the Cougars, who responded with a 5-on-3 power play goal from Zach Pochiro and an even-strength marker from Klarc Wilson. But the Giants restored a two-goal cushion just 42 seconds into the third period on a goal by Jackson Houck, his team-leading 24th of the season.
The Cougars got within one with Beukeboom on the bench for the extra skater when Wilson found the net for his second of the game on a pass from Todd Fiddler but ran out of time.
Tim Traber, Joel Hamilton, Dominik Volek, Ty Ronning and Mason Geertzen were the other Giants goalscorers. Marc McNulty and rookie defenceman Tate Olson, with his first WHL career goal, also scored for Prince George.
The Giants outshot the Cats 40-26.
The loss dropped the Cougars' season record to 16-23-2-4, ninth in the Western Conference and four points behind Tri-City for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Giants (22-15-5-2) are seventh in the conference, 13 points ahead of Prince George.
The Cougars will be in Kamloops tonight to play the Blazers.
